Aqua Fortis
by keenbeanz
Summary: Percy has denied godhood for the second time in months, unfortunately for our favorite hero, the Olympians simply won't take 'No' for an answer. Percy/Olympians (Most of them) and eventual Pertamis like I'm talking waaaaay down the line. Re-write of 'No Choice'
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so as you can tell this is a re-write of my story 'No Choice' which I'm keeping up because I hate it when people delete stories. This re-write will also have a plot, that's right there will be plot. Also means that if all goes according to plan this story will have 31 chapters and wait for this; will have either three or four stories. Much excitement. Well for those who like this story anyway. **

**This is set somewhat after Blood Of Olympus, obviously I haven't read it yet so bare with me on this. **

**Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

Percy/Olympians (most of them anyway)

**I in no way own PJatO or HoO. **

**Enjoy guys.**

She looked up at him in complete awe and admiration, taking in his strong features which were covered in soot, bruises and cuts that ranged from deep to deeper. Love was a strange thing she had concluded, even with the marks on his face and the slight limp from breaking his toe moments before he still looked as handsome as ever, her heart flutters in a way that reminds her of a humming birds wings. She smiles at the thought.

Percy seemed to take no notice of her as he watched the rest of their rag tag team march in through those massive doors. The same massive doors that once would have made her stomach churn and squeal in fascination and admiration. Once or twice she might have even stood in this very spot watching those doors in this hallway with the same face she was using to look at her boyfriend. The boy she had been to hell and back with, literally.

He turns to her then and she can see the briefest of smiles grace his bruised face, a wound re-opens at the movement and she watches the scratch above his eye well up with blood. The crimson liquid pools above his eyebrow and she can picture the liquid dripping into his eyes, causing him to blink and momentarily freak out, she can just picture it happening in the middle of the throne room, a smile flits across her face at the image.

That smile is gone as soon as it appears and instead she scoffs slightly, playfully even, and pulls at the sleeve of her jacket, it had once been his but she had easily stolen it from him one night aboard the Argo II. He had complained about it for a total of sixteen minutes and thirty-nine seconds before giving in.

She knew he loved seeing her wear it, like a mark that she was his, a mark that wouldn't cause unwanted attention and worrisome questions, as well as Leo's cruel teasing that had often resulted in him getting hit on the back of his head by a frowning Piper who had told him to stop being so childish and immature, despite the fact that she would be blushing a bright red and would refuse to meet their eyes for another hour or so.

Percy would never find those jokes annoying; he rather enjoyed adding fuel to the fire that was everyone's embarrassment.

With a raised brow, a twinkle in his eye and a smirk that screamed mischief he would pull her closer to him and give her the most passionate and disgusting kiss he could just to further irritate the smith gods son. It was usually at that point that Nico would somehow disappear and Jason would frown with a worried crease above his eyes staring at the space the younger boy had previously been.

Annabeth would then slap Percy on the back of the head, while attempting to hide her rosy cheeks with an annoyed expression. She had gotten the feeling that it never worked.

She rubs the blood away from his face with a scowl. Like a mother rubbing dirt off a child's face.

"Great," she tells him while inspecting the bloodied fabric with distaste. "Now I need a new jacket."

He smiles then and swoops down for a chaste kiss that leaves her breathless and wanting more, she can tell from the spark in his eyes that he feels the same by the gentle lip lock.

_Later. _She tells herself, trying to calm her raging heartbeat. _You will have plenty of time later, for now you just have to deal with a group of immortal beings who have the power to destroy you in a millisecond. _

"You mean I need to give you a new jacket?" he says with a chuckle before grabbing her hand in a way that could either be forceful or playful.

Judging from the situation and the boy who had just grabbed her hand and forced it into his tight grip with a swing she took it as playful and extremely playful at that. It was moments like these where she would finally understand happiness.

She squeezes back, her thumb pushing into his hand with such force that it would hurt someone who wasn't currently buzzing off adrenaline and didn't have a pain threshold like theirs, because let's face it, fighting monsters since childhood and ending up almost dead at least three times a month would boost things like that.

With a shared smile they walked in slowly holding hands, they had all the time in the world after all, they had in fact once again saved the western world and to be honest they had already been to one of these meeting type things, so this wasn't as special as the others felt it would be. It was almost becoming a chore for the two, Percy especially who seemed to almost be attracted to the danger of being summoned to the throne room.

Reaching the rest of the seven, plus Nico they stood in a huddled group, with Jason and Piper taking the front. Percy's hand tightened around hers forcing her eyes to look up at his face, he looked out at Jason and Piper in frustration. She could easily tell Percy had wanted to be the head of the group; he was after all the one that defeated Gaea. Annabeth rested a hand on his tightening shoulder. She can feel his muscles relax slightly under the touch.

He looked down at with a slight frown only for Annabeth to shake her head in reply. Even Percy knew what that meant, it was a silent warning and he wasn't stupid enough to go against her, especially not now when her mother, who hated him anyway was only five feet away from him and glaring at the duo with ire.

It was Jason and Piper's turn to take the lead; he gave her a sad nod and instead focused his attention on a pillar in the corner of the room behind Hera's throne, ignoring everyone else. His shoulder grazes her arm, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her palm.

She recognizes his soothing movements immediately as he tries to relax himself, to cool down after the battle.

Jason had asked Percy if they should lead the group in together, but he had shaken his head and instead looked at Annabeth with a sad smile, he wanted to walk in with her. She understood his feelings completely and had held onto his arm for dear life, Jason had shrugged his squared shoulders and walked over to Piper, taking her hand as he went.

After all they had almost lost each other again, a thought neither of them liked. Percy especially judging from the anger and battle rage that seems to seep from his pores, he almost felt godlike in the battle, allowing his instincts to take over. And if she relaxed enough she could still feel the power that radiated off him.

He had never been so protective of her ever since the battle because of the stupid mistake she had made. She had been fighting and had slipped a simple mistake that could and does happen to anyone, the muddy ground had proved to be difficult to fight in, she had seen everyone slip once or twice and each time someone would focus their energy into protecting them, but they had gotten separated in the fight it was only the two of them and three monsters she had taken on one after they had defeated the second, and decided to split to face the other two, her own idea. Percy had protested at first but soon understood her plan and seemed to rather painfully move off on his own to fight the Cyclops who was screaming at him about being favoured by Poseidon.

Her foot had caught and just as the giant's meaty fist had descended towards her body Percy had dived into the fray stabbing the hand with riptide. He had saved her. Again.

She had repaid the favour however not five minutes later when he had rushed into an obvious distraction and had almost lost his head, literally.

She rests her head against his shoulder.

_It's going to be okay. _She thinks, the soothing circles continue almost robotically. _We're together again._

Poseidon sits in his throne, his body a shaking mass as he squirms in his seat, obvious pride written all over his face as he stares down at his son, his hand clenches the arm rests of the throne, he reminds her of a puppy when you hold a ball up in front of his face. Images of a giant dog with black and grey fur and sea green eyes come to mind and she almost laughs, but figures she would probably make this situation worse rather than better.

The last time they had been in this situation they had offered Percy immortality, something that would have separated them for all eternity, she can't think of a worse hell and she had been to Tartarus.

Percy's eyes don't meet his fathers, she knows they will soon though. Poseidon is the very sea itself and Percy has always been drawn to the sea, it's only a matter of minutes until Percy will look at his father and smile. Annabeth wonders if the sea god will explode or even jump off his throne and hug his son.

She notes that Poseidon isn't the only god looking at her boyfriend. She grips his hand tighter, not liking the looks most of the gods and goddesses are giving him. She hasn't always been this possessive of her boyfriend, in fact for the first few months they had dated and gone from best friends to boyfriend and girlfriend had been confusing. Nothing so much had changed except for the hand holding and the long kisses they had taken from each other when no one was looking, then he had gone missing and suddenly all she could think of was how she wanted more of those flirty comments, those bear hugs that seemed to squeeze the life out of her and the kisses that would leave her panting and preying to Aphrodite to let her have more.

When she found him again she had made a silent vow to herself to never let him go again.

"I love you." She says softly, the words echo slightly but not enough for anyone to actually hear her words. His head turns sharply then, his eyes wide and bright with a smile that makes him look dopey.

"I love you too." He replies he lets go of her hand at that moment and instead decides to wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her in for a side hug.

It isn't the first time they have said those words and it certainly won't be the last as far as Annabeth is concerned. Their love survived the depths of Tartarus, she was pretty sure it could survive anything, no person, thing or even an argument and they had a few of those, what with both of them being as stubborn as a mule and dating. It made life interesting for them. She knew they could survive anything.

There is a cough beside Percy that has them both jump to attention then, Percy's arm momentarily disconnects from Annabeth as he glances questioningly towards Leo who is nodding his head towards Zeus, or is it Jupiter? Percy has no idea but the god looks slightly different, far sterner while at the same time looking more fatherly. Percy is confused by the thought and shakes his head slightly, running his hand through the top of his hair; it's caked in mud and blood. He knows he has to wash it later. That is when he gets back home to see his mother and Paul.

They are probably worried sick at this stage.

He offers an apologetic smile to the Latino and looks front and centre, straightening his back as he does so, he can feel Annabeth beside him do the same. He resists the urge to smile and instead attempts to focus on Zeus who is blabbering on about something.

At the moment he really couldn't care, he just wants to go home and have a long hot bath and spend the rest of the day eating him mums homemade cookies and any and all blue food he can find with Annabeth by his side.

His mouth begins to water at the thought. Not that you could blame him, he had just helped defeat a primordial goddess and well to be honest his mum's homemade cookies were quite honestly one of the greatest things he has ever had and yes that does include nectar and ambrosia.

Briefly he wonders what he missed more, parents or those beautiful chocolate chip cookies.

He must have zoned out for far too long because all of a sudden Zeus/Jupiter, the whole Roman/Greek thing is giving him a headache to be honest, is calling them all out one by one, because everyone in front of him and Annabeth have parted and he suddenly feels naked under the scrutiny and glances the gods keep giving them.

He swallows loudly and grabs her hand again.

Zeus seems to glare at him, with a look that screams murder and bloodshed. He feels like a fish in a bowl being eyed by a hungry cat that would do anything to get at him. He gulps again, this time it's more noticeable from the wide smirk that appears on the King of the gods face.

_I'm doomed. _He thinks to himself in a shrill thought.

"PERSEUS JACKSON." Zeus all but roars, he feels the hairs on the back of his neck stand to full attention as every eye, well every eye that wasn't already on him seem to zip straight to him with the speed of light.

His palms feel sweaty.

Beside the hearth he can see Hestia looking up at him with an encouraging smile, her eyes glowing bright in a way that brings on a serious case of Déjà vu. But regardless of the tense knots that form in his gut he strides forward releasing Annabeth's hand from his own.

_All the time in the world. _He thinks to himself taking a calming breath. _We have all the time in the world to hold hands._

He repeats it like a mantra, ignoring the slight annoyance that joins the knots with a flurry of bubbles like boiling water. He doesn't know if the annoyance is caused by letting go of Annabeth's hands, being used once again by the gods or because Ares is currently staring at him with the most infuriating smirk known to human kind. He should never forget the way the god makes his insides feel like molten lava, his Roman form however didn't give him the same reaction which to be honest was quite strange.

_The only Greek god I can stand as a Roman. Huh, Who'da thought? _

His feet come to an immediate stop, slowly he bows, aware of the anger that is slowly building inside of him; he just has to wait till he is safely out of the way of the immortal deities who could and would kill him for disrespecting them.

"Rise." Someone else says, Hera he thinks but he isn't 100% sure. He follows the instruction mutely, staring the king of the gods in the eye as he does so.

He knows for a fact the god doesn't like him, and really Percy feels the same way. The two share a mutual respect and almost hatred for each other. Percy seems to share that feeling with all the gods, except Ares. He hates that guy.

Zeus' stormy eyes seem to glance back at him in warning, Percy remembers the last time he had been in this position and he had been awarded immortality and had turned it down for love.

Aphrodite would have loved that and there is no doubt in his mind that she still does.

But that action had caused Zeus to shut down Olympus refusing any god to associate with any of their children, while that was bad, it honestly could have been worse. He can't imagine what Jupiter would have done if he had wounded the Roman god's pride.

A shiver runs down his spine, the back of his neck feels as if Khione herself has blown a frozen wind onto his skin.

"It seems you have saved us once again." He says a bit grudgingly, Percy can see his father from the corner of his eye; the sea god looks as if he is seconds away from showing his true form and blasting the room in brightness.

"He is most deserving." Athena says from the corner of the room, Percy turns to look at her and she seems bored, as if she has been to too many meeting like this. Her eyes meet his for a slight moment before they are averted.

"A true hero, if there ever was one." Poseidon seems to boom, Percy much to his embarrassment seems to jump in the air, before turning on his heel to face his father. He smiles at the man in more politeness than kindness, after all where had the god been when Percy needed him?

"Yes, yes" Zeus seems to begin, he is looking down at Percy but his eyes seem glazed over as if lost in thought. He wonders what could have the king of the gods so frazzled. "Quite deserving." He states with a wave of his hand, looking around the room, almost as if he would rather be anywhere else then here.

Percy is feeling the exact same way.

"Truly a hero of his calibre is more than deserving of our greatest gift?" Hera says with a gentle smile that shows more than enough teeth to mean that this so called 'gift' won't be anything good.

He gulps.

"Gift?" He asks carefully, he knows from experience that saying the wrong thing can give you a bounty on your head, he tries to imagine how many drachmas he would end up going for if he annoyed each and every god. A small part of him hopes that it would be some impressive number like 200,000 or maybe even 1,000,000 golden drachmas straight out of the Olympian vault.

The other part of him tells him to shut up and to concentrate on the job at hand.

"Yes, my son." Poseidon starts again, with a wide smile. "The greatest gift of them all." He raises both his arms out as if he is the proudest father in the world, and who knows maybe he is after all how many sons have save their dads bacon as well as the rest of the world twice in a total of two years. Percy just wishes the gods would deal with their own damn problems and stop asking their children to deal with them instead.

Unfortunately asking for that would be like asking the Statue of Liberty for some help with his homework. It's never going to happen.

"Not that he hasn't already turned it down before." Dionysus snorts towards the back of the room, Percy barely catches it, and it takes him a couple of seconds to figure out what he is even talking about.

Suddenly his palms feel is if they have taken a swan dive into the ocean and his heart seems to want to morph into a hummingbird. Saliva gets caught in the back of his throat, he thinks he may be choking but he doesn't know because he feels paralysed.

"What?" he manages to gasp out looking around the room at each of the gods faces, they all stare at him in expectation.

"Godhood." Apollo says slowly, as if he is talking to a toddler who is trying to say his name for the first time. He doesn't know if he says it that way because he is mocking him or maybe because he thinks the sea god's son really is thick in the head.

Many other people would support that claim.

"Ah-" Percy says, his throat feels tighter, he can feel the eyes of the seven demigods behind him watching him carefully, their gazes like tiny lasers burning his skin.

He turns to look back at Annabeth at that moment and he is frozen in shock at what he sees, she is pale, paler than he has ever seen her, as if she has lost all the blood in her body, her eyes are wide in fear and her mouth agape in shock.

He can't do that to her though.

_I won't lose her like that. We'll be together for the rest of our lives._

He looks back towards his father who is smiling proudly, his eyes shining. Percy thinks for a moment the god is crying.

He swallows again and shakes his head as if to clear it. He made a vow to her that they would be together forever.

"I can't accept this." He says softly concern evident in his voice.

The room grow deathly silent, his heart beat seems to echo in his ears as well as in the room. Or maybe that is just his imagination.

He risks a glance behind him and can see the slight flush of colour return to Annabeth's face. He smiles at himself.

How many boyfriends have turned down immortality for one girl?

"Hm." Zeus grunts, reluctantly Percy tears his eyes away from his girlfriend after offering her a dopey smile. He misses the way her lips begin to perk up in reply.

Zeus doesn't seem to look at him, his eyes gaze around the room, meeting every one's eyes but him. The smell of ozone begins to grow thicker; his lungs almost struggle under the heaviness of the air.

_Yep. _He thinks to himself with a shiver. _I'm dead._

His dad sits upright in his throne, staring at his son in confusion and frustration. Percy frowns at the floor, biting his tongue. He can't risk saying something, and then he might end up causing the Third World War, and most likely be the one to save it again, because apparently that was his job.

Yeah being a demigod is great.

Zeus seems to ignore him and instead looks over at the group again, determined to not acknowledge the son of Poseidon. Oddly enough Percy prefers it that way.

"JASON GRACE." He calls out instead. Feeling rather awkward the two heroes share sympathetic looks before Percy returns back to his original position beside Annabeth.

"Don't ever change seaweed brain." She whispers as she grabs his hand.

"Wouldn't think of it, wise girl." He replies kissing the top of her head.

* * *

><p>The room was silent almost deathly so. The heroes had all been awarded and sent on their ways to celebrate their victory, the gods would have joined their little celebrations however there were more pressing issues to discuss.<p>

Like their wounded pride at once again being denied godhood by the mortal demigod who has surpassed all heroes.

In other words Zeus was pissed.

The boy had harmed his ego once before, he really didn't know what to expect though. None of them did, they all should have expected him to once again decline their extremely generous offer, especially when they had not offered the same gifts to any of the other seven heroes.

There was a reason behind that particular decision.

The truth was, the boy was too powerful, too important, too - special for them to even consider allowing him to be kept mortal.

"Well that was," Hermes mutters pausing for a moment a frown appears across his brows before he looks up towards his father with an almost amused expression. "Expected, I suppose."

Zeus places a careful eye towards his son. He knows what most if not all their motivations are for the boy, and if he were to truly admit it; his motivations for the boy are similar.

That doesn't mean he will act on those desires though. Dealing with Hera seems easy enough, but dealing with Poseidon would be enough to give him a headache to rival the day Athena popped out of his head fully grown.

"We all know who to blame for that." Demeter says throwing a look towards Athena who is staring down in her lap, where a book and pen rest.

The grey eyed goddess looks up towards her aunt as quick as Hermes with a frown that Zeus knows means danger to anyone and anything. He watches the two carefully he can't afford another argument, especially not at the moment. There are far more pressing issues they need to discuss.

"What was that?" she asks with a growl, her body moves forward until she is sitting on the edge of her seat watching the goddess.

"He wouldn't have said no" interrupts Dionysus, almost as if bored. "If it weren't for that Annabel."

"Annabeth." Athena grunts back in frustration giving her half sibling an icy glare that could have even Khione freeze in terror.

"What does it matter?" Aphrodite closes her portable mirror with an audible snap that echoes around the room. Her lips rub together as she smooths out the lipstick, covering her bottom lip with the ruby red colour. "We have already made our decision."

The room is once again thrown into silence.

It was true. They had made their decision and sadly it was in favour of ignoring their favourite hero's wishes and turning him into a god anyway. None of them really want to do it, but the boy was an icon of the twenty-first century, a hero of heroes and an asset that could help further their authority in the future.

"Then it must be done." Poseidon sighs out rubbing a hand over his eyes; Zeus looks at him with sad and tired eyes. He almost feels sorry for his brother, if it weren't for his possessive and greedy streak.

"When?" Artemis asks, oddly she has been quiet for most of the meeting, not even quarrelling with her younger brother, because let's just face it she is older than Apollo.

"Tomorrow." Athena answers slamming her little book shut and looking up at her fellow council members.

Poseidon stares back at her with a dejected frown. He doesn't want to hurt his son, but it's the only way. He can't deal with losing another child, he had already almost lost Percy too many times to count, this way his son could be safe from harm and by his side for an eternity.

Of course Poseidon had no idea why everyone else wanted his son to be immortal, he just figured that for once they realised just what an asset the young man could be.

"How?" he asks hollowly, everyone around the room looks towards Athena who rolls her eyes and scoffs at them all.

"Honestly," she mutters. "What would happen if I wasn't here?"

"Yeah we get it." Hermes replies with a snarky frown as he checks his phone. "All great and powerful, Athena. We grovel at your almighty feet." Said goddess gives him a glare. "Can we just get this over and done with?" he ignores his sister and looks towards his father, his phone in his hand, buzzing. "Some of us have work to do."

"We bring him here." Zeus replies watching his daughter, who simply looks at him with a nod. "We force him."

"Don't you think he will hate us for that?" Hephaestus asks, he is worried, they all are because there is every possibility that he will hate them for it.

"Who cares?" Ares says the knife in his hand spins along his throne. "Punk should be grateful."

"In time." Hera says loudly, only just stopping an argument between the two gods. "He will thank us for what we have done."

"By in time she means never." Apollo mutters playing with his sunglasses, he isn't smiling.

Hera gives him a short glare in return which goes unmissed by the sun god, who remains impassive.

"Who will bring him here?" Hades asks, after going unnoticed throughout the meeting, Aphrodite almost jumps in her seat at the sound before turning to face the god.

"I will." Poseidon replies with a sorrowful smile. "He will get suspicious if anyone else brings him in."

"Great." Hermes breaks the silence with a clap of his hand. "So is that all?" he stands quickly wanting to get out of this suffocating atmosphere. There is too much sympathy and guilt that hangs in the air and it is starting to suffocate the trickster. He doesn't appreciate moments like this. He wasn't made to appreciate these moments. They were more Hades forte.

Zeus seems to break from his stupor and nods his head in agreement. "Yeah." He says as he watches everyone leave the room. He offers Poseidon a sad smile as he watches the sea god vanish back to his home.

"It will work out." Hera says next to him holding his hand.

Zeus looks up at her with a smile. "Hopefully."

**So did you all like? Hopefully better than the original, if not whoopsie daisy.**

**So I would really love some feedback on this good or bad. **

_Next Chapter 16/9 _


	2. Chapter 2

**Boom so I was bored and figured "Hey why wait to post the next chapter when I can write it up and post it now." So here it is guys.**

**I would also like to point out that this is a re-write of my 'No Choice' fic, so while I love Percabeth (Swear to Hades I do, I just can't write It.) this story/series will not be Percabeth (Annabeth actually plays little part in this story), however there will be bits and pieces of it throughout the fic. It just won't end that way. I'm sorry. **

**So anyway completely floored by the reviews (Honestly, I expected like two) so I would like to thank everyone for reviewing, putting this story in their favourites and also following it. Cheers guys.**

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Eventual Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**In no way own PJatO or HoO all rights belong to Mr Rick Riordan.**

**Enjoy!**

Percy stared at the door with a simple smile, his insides no longer felt rough and haggard rather they now felt calm, relaxed and warm, a feeling that felt extraordinarily strange and unusual for him especially after recent months of toing and froing from place to place on a magical flying boat.

He was finally home.

He takes a deep breath and shoulders his backpack that Annabeth had packed for him before she had raced towards New Rome aboard the Argo weeks ago, or was it months?

The fresh smell of the sea shakes away all fatigue and annoyance that had been building on his shoulders for the past few hours, from the people constantly running up to him, asking questions, staring at him and even asking for his autograph.

But that really didn't count because it was Leo and that was after he had asked for Leo's autograph.

He lets out a deep breath and reaches for the door handle which opens, almost magically, as soon as his hands connect with the metal.

Like a sign from the gods that this is where he should be.

For the first time in years he doesn't disagree with the sign from above.

The door squeaks in a sound similar to when he first opened it almost seven years ago. He frowns slightly starting to feel a little homesick despite the fact he is inside his home away from home.

The smell of the sea and dust mites, that have inhabited his cabin after the long disuse, greet his nostrils in a gust of wind as he takes his first step into the room, the floorboards squeak underneath him.

The room is just as he had left it the morning he was taken, his bed remains unmade and his bag remains unpacked and sitting on the chest in front of his bunk. He smiles at the sight.

He dumps his backpack on the floor and walks towards the duffle of his trunk, grateful that the harpies had left his stuff alone.

Who knows maybe they felt sorry for him.

He dives through his bag in a desperate attempt to find the cans of coke he had bought off the Stoll's two days before he had been taken and mind wiped by a goddess.

He finds them after a tense few moments and almost cries in relief as he opens the can of the sugary drink.

The cans are warm and almost flat but there are enough bubbles inside to keep him satisfied as he takes a long dry sip. He smiles widely bringing the can down from his lips. Letting out a satisfied noise he licks the remaining liquid that is left behind in a vain attempt to get as much sugar as he can.

"Gods I've missed you." He smiles putting the can of coke down on the trunk. He is careful not to set it near the edge; he has done that before and couldn't get the stain out before inspection. He had stable cleaning duty for a month.

Moving towards his bunk in a lethargic manner he flops down onto the uncomfortable and cold bed, but he lets out a content sigh and stretches his aching muscles.

He looks around the cabin slowly taking everything in, detailing it in his mind like photographer with a camera, scared to miss a second.

He doesn't want to leave this place ever again but he doesn't trust the gods enough to know that they will leave him alone in peace. For all he knows he could be forced to leave tomorrow on another new quest.

He shudders at the thought and hopes to Hades he doesn't.

This cabin had been like a safety refuge for him over the years. He would always come here if he was feeling annoyed, angry, frustrated and even when he was calm and serene. This was his home away from home inside his home away from home.

He had many great memories of this place, memories he would like to keep forever, thankyou very much. You never realise how beautiful memories are until a crazed goddess takes them away and leaves you with a permanent mental blank.

_Thanks for that Hera_. He thinks to himself, thunder is heard in the distance and Percy winces. _Right. Insulting powerful deities is bad._

His thoughts are soon broken by a loud and slightly musical knocking at his door, he startles to attention sitting up straight away, banging his head on the bunk above him.

"Ouch!" He cries out. Hs eyes slam shut from the pain and shock and for a moment he swears on Zeus' lightning bolt that he sees stars.

Rubbing his head he walks over to the door, after vowing vengeance against the offending bunk of course, Gaea couldn't defeat him so he wasn't about to let some inanimate object get the upper hand.

He can feel a slight bump on his forehead that he knows will look bad in the morning if he doesn't rub some salt water over it soon.

The arms of his backpack, which he had plonked on the ground earlier so carelessly, catch at his feet as he strolls past but he manages to kick his foot out of the way before he ends up face down on the wooden floor. He gares at the backpack as well.

_You're on the list. _He vows to himself. _Right under the bunk._

He really needs to move it, he can see himself forgetting about it and falling over. That would only result in more pain and injuries, something that he has had enough of thank you very much.

The door handle moves just as his hand nears the metal and before he knows it the entire door has opened up and the side of the door has hit him square in the face.

"Gah!" he cries out his hand flies to his eye, the same eye that had only just gotten over its bruising just last night before their party, all thanks to some salt water and a square of ambrosia. He falls back his hand trying to grab out to something, it misses its mark of the statue of some hero that Percy is unable to remember in his incapacitated state. He falls to the floor with a loud and earthshattering 'Bang!'

_TIIIMBEEEER! _His mind helpfully supplies.

"Percy?" A voice says, if Percy where not injured on the floor with multiple blows to the head he would say the voice sounded shocked. But he is lying on the floor with a major headache and a hand over his eyes seeing stars, so really to him it's just a dumb voice that caused all his pain.

_Who else would it be?_

"Are you okay?" they ask again, this time he can tell that the voice is in fact feminine and that it sounds oddly familiar.

_What a guy can't pass out on his own floor now? What a great world we live in. Thank Poseidon we saved it._

"Great." He mumbles instead, rubbing his head with both thumbs. He has had fewer injuries aboard the Argo then he has had in the last five minutes of being back in his old cabin.

_Maybe it's an omen?_

Slowly he opens his eyes seeing nothing but black.

"You don't look great." The voice mumbles again.

_Who in Hades is it?_

"Thanks." He remarks bitterly as his eyes slowly start to focus around him.

The darkness slowly fades away until he is greeted with the familiar sight of the roof of his cabin. More importantly it's the place Tyson tried to hang the hammock he had made out of steel, needless to say the wood didn't hold very well. There was a long crack in the beam, Percy had shaken his head because of cause out of all the children of Poseidon to have ever stayed in this cabin, they were the ones to break it.

In front of that cracked beam sits a face, with freckles, green eyes and frizzy red hair that looks as if it could poke his eye out.

"RED?" Percy mutters. A smile forms on the girls face.

"Who else would it be?" she asks, her hand held out for him to take, slowly he grabs it and gets to his feet. His head is still feeling woozy from the constant hits and the lack of blood that is now flowing through him undisrupted.

"Try, anyone." He mutters dusting the invisible dust off his shirt. Although from the state of his cabin there probably is lots of dust all over him.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare ignores him and instead looks around the cabin in fascination. Percy realises then that this is probably the first time she has been in here, he frowns slightly. Surely he would have invited her in before now?

_No. _he thinks slowly gathering up his brain power. _You didn't want to make Annabeth jealous. _

Her eyes seem to take in anything and everything. It's as if she is mapping out the entire room, plotting and planning.

Her hands suddenly go up into the air as she stares at a blank wall, he watches her in confusion as she makes a square shape out of her fingers in a way artists do in those shows Annabeth and his mum had made him watch one afternoon.

He swears to Zeus he didn't like the show.

To him it was boring and repetitive and just well, blah. He only watched it the second and third time to understand what in Zeus' name the two most important women in his life were talking about.

Well that's the lie he tells himself anyway.

"I could totally hang a picture in here." She says quickly and Percy almost misses it.

"What?"

"Nothing." She says spinning on her heel and looking at him. She smiles widely and he smiles back at her, it feels good to be talking to Rachel, normal. As if he didn't face off against his great grandmother and a bunch of homicidal giants who had been hell bent on ruling the world.

"So, how was it?" she asks and Percy blushes slightly because how was what?

How was the quest? Terrifying.

How was the party? She was there. She should know.

Last night's spaghetti? Okay.

Last night? Absolutely Amazing.

Percy's blush deepens at the implication of the question and looks down at his feet trying to gain his composure. He looks back up at Rachel with a dopey smile; she raises a brow questioningly obviously unaware of Percy's mental break.

"Well?" she asks again, getting irritated by Percy's stunned mullet look.

"What?"

She sighs loudly, rolling her eyes in a way reminiscent of a mother about to scold her child all she needs to do is- ah no there are the arms folded across her chest. He has seen that look both on his mother's and girlfriend's faces.

"New Rome?"

Percy smiles at that, because there was a time where he had been contemplating living there, going to college with Annabeth, getting married, starting a family.

And by a time he means every waking moment since he left started to remember about his dangerous life as a demigod.

His heart starts to beat faster; he licks his lips before looking back at Rachel.

"Amazing." Is all he says. Rachel raises a brow and shakes her head slowly as if trying to dispel a thought.

"You do know they almost destroyed us." She replies, obviously unimpressed by Percy's admission.

"And we almost destroyed them." He replies back with a slight frown. Why was she upset about this? This was more his home then hers. Wasn't it?

"So I've heard." She says with a smile before she reaches out to punch his arm in a light tap.

He smiles at her and rubs his arm in fake pain.

"Jeeze, Dare." He groans. "When did you get so strong?"

"After kicking Roman butt." She smiles, he laughs in reply before bringing her in for a bone crunching hug, one hopefully not as strong as Tyson's.

"Gods I've missed you." He sighs letting her go.

"Welcome to the club." She replies stepping away. "Chiron wants to see you, by the way."

Percy sighs and immediately his shoulders droop. He was only just in Chiron's office not ten minutes ago and after a full report on the quest Annabeth had taken pity on him and had told him she would catch their mentor up on the news while he unpacked in his cabin.

Something she knew he had been looking forward to since they set foot back in the U.S.

Chiron had agreed and with Mr D's absence still being noted around camp, Chiron had clapped him on the back and welcomed him home before sending him on his way. He had avoided anyone and everyone and was more or less a little too excited to relax in his cabin.

He wanted to chill out for at least another few minutes until Annabeth got here and then he had planned a full day of making out and other fun activities. He blushes again at the thought.

"Do you know why?" he asks shoving his hands in his pockets before making his way towards the door, Rachel follows not too far behind him.

"No idea." She shrugs taking a few extra steps until they are walking equally, side by side. "I only just got back to camp when he sent me to get you."

Percy nods his head frowning at the grass below him, the sun pierces his skin burning his flesh in a way that is pleasant and calming, he doesn't realise he is smiling until Rachel gives him a strange look.

"How's school?" he fires off, trying to keep the conversation going, he hasn't seen her in what feels like a millennia. And while he had often made fun off Rachel's fast paced way of speech, he had genuinely missed the way she could quickly fire off a succession of comments and questions.

There is a loud sigh and a shrug of her shoulders before she deigns him with an answer, immediately he thinks that it is going to be bad news.

"Surprisingly amazing." She grunts with a frown. Percy raises his eyebrows, surprise written all over his features. "I mean I actually think I love it, not that I'm going to tell dad that." She smiles a little and Percy hasn't seen such a content smile in all his life.

He smiles back at her, even though she doesn't notice.

He nods his head along, removing his eyes from her features he gazes back towards the Big House. He understands how she feels, he would never tell anyone how much he had enjoyed New Rome, well not after what had happened at camp, Annabeth had told him to keep it down about them living in New Rome and after a brief argument he had agreed.

Even Jason had received a few death stares and heated words with a few campers within the few hours they had been back at camp.

It was a shame, Percy had wanted to show Frank and Hazel the place that he had called home and had fought tooth and nail for on multiple occasions, he had offered to show them around but after an uneasy look from Frank they had declined and instead went back to New Rome promising to keep in contact.

Percy knew they would, especially if Nico had any say in the matter.

Percy sighs loudly. Nico was a sore subject for him at the moment, the younger boy had refused to acknowledge him in any way possible and had once left the room just because Percy had decided to walk in, he had complained to Jason about it after the party the night before. Jason had given Percy a strangled look before shrugging his shoulders and telling him the boy just needed some time to himself.

Percy had tried to question the blonde as to what he meant but all questions fell on deaf ears as Jason shook his head telling him that Nico would tell him when he was ready.

Percy had no idea what that meant, but before he could ask him anything Annabeth had appeared next to him with a drink and a smile that spoke of silent promises.

Safe to say after that point of the night he hadn't seen or spoken to anyone as the two of them disappeared.

He smiles dopily.

"Made any friends?" he questions again desperate to keep the conversation going.

"Nope."

"No?"

She shrugs her shoulders and looks over at him. "Making friends outside of this place just seems so, so…"

"Boring?" he supplies.

"Yes!" she exclaims with an exasperated smile.

Percy looks down at her for a moment and shakes his head; he had no idea how important this place would be to someone he had meet in the Hoover Damn years before. But looking at Rachel Elizabeth Dare now he can see that she needs this place as much as he does.

It's a safe haven for them both, a place where demigods can eat, sleep and play in peace and a place where clear sighted mortals like RED can relax, knowing that yes there are strange creatures out there in the world and all that crazy stuff they see is not in their imagination or them having a psychotic attack and is in fact a group of monsters that want to peel the skin off your bones and cook you in a stew.

It's a scary truth, but it's also comforting to know that you aren't crazy.

Rachel stops dead in her tracks for a moment then. It takes Percy a second to realise that his best friend isn't walking beside him and is actually standing completely still with a faraway look. A look Percy has never seen before.

"What?" he questions turning to face her, his back to the big house.

Her head shakes for a moment as the palm of her hand rests on her forehead, her eyes are trailed down looking at the ground. She frowns before looking back up at Percy.

"Something doesn't feel right." She says simply and Percy is more than confused.

"What?" he asks again, a slight pit of worry forming in his gut, that pit was a bad sign for demigods. It usually meant danger.

"Nothing." She says again shaking her head with a smile and walking towards the big house, she is two steps ahead of a confused Percy when she turns around and tells him to hurry up. Percy follows obediently behind her.

By the time they actually make it to the Big House it is just Annabeth and Chiron sitting around the council table, tiny droplets of condensation slowly fall off their glasses and onto the ping pong table. Percy didn't realise how much he would miss the ratty old table, but now that he sees it in all its glory (?) he is starting to really feel patriotic of their camp.

He smiles at the object offering it a slight pat that he hopes everyone mistakes for a simple tap.

He would feel a little awkward having everyone know he missed the table and was patting it for reassurance.

"Did you just pat the table?" Annabeth asks after a few moments, she is smiling slightly and Percy almost blushes.

"No." he says instead focusing on Chiron who is locked in a small conversation with Rachel, Percy has no idea what they are talking about but it has Rachel giving Percy a strange look before she leaves the room, without so much as a 'Goodbye'.

_Nothing my butt. _He thinks of their earlier conversation and resolves to talk to Rachel about it after.

Chiron turns towards Percy then with a smile. Percy returns the smile immediately.

"Percy, my boy."

"Chiron."

"It's good to have you back." He says (again) with a smile that crinkles around his eyes, Percy can just imagine the tail swishing inside that mystical wheelchair.

"It's good to be back." Annabeth's hand finds his and gives is a reassuring squeeze. He looks back at her with a fond smile, this was how he wanted to spend all those months he was knocked out in an eternal slumber, sure he was glad that he had made new friends. People he would have never meant if it wasn't for Hera's almighty plan that seemed to screw up his school year. That was something else he would have to try and sort out over the coming days.

The thought of moving to New Rome was sounding better and better with every passing thought.

"So," he starts turning back to Chiron who is smiling at the duo in front of him, like a proud father. "What was it that you wanted to see me about?" he asks almost speculative, half afraid he would begin to ask about the months he was 'Asleep'.

He has been through enough questioning on that matter, enough for a lifetime or two. No one seems to understand the whole, 'I didn't know where I was, because I was asleep.'

"Ah." Chiron starts. The temperature in the room seems to drop at least two degrees. Annabeth's hand tightens slightly; Percy however misses this as he is too preoccupied with the butterflies in his stomach.

He gets the feeling he won't like what is coming next.

Chiron rests his elbows on the table, his chin lays atop his fists as he looks down at Percy with a speculative glance. "Annabeth," Percy's eyes immediately go towards his girlfriend who shares a steely glance with him before they shift back towards the centaur. "Has told me of your plans to move to New Rome."

Percy's heart seems to beat a little faster, Annabeth's hand holds his tightly, her eyes now focused on the table in front of her with a frown deepening the ridges of her forehead.

"What about them?" Percy questions, anger is starting to rise in his chest, this was their only chance to live peacefully together, to start a family, something both of them had wanted. He takes a slow calming breath, his nerves jitter in his gut.

Chiron for his part looks pained, as if he is a little unsure on how to proceed. Percy himself is a little unsure on how to proceed. Their future together seemed to rest on Chiron's next words.

"I'm just not sure if it's such a good idea."

Percy's stomach falls off Olympus and splats onto the pavement below with a resounding thud that has blood echoing in his ears. He isn't aware that he is shaking until Annabeth's hand squeezes a little too hard.

"What?" He is confused. Why can't they go? Why is it a bad idea? He looks at Annabeth, who is gritting her teeth with a frown. He can see the annoyance and anger written all over her features and so does Chiron. With a placating smile and a calming hand gesture he looks back at the two.

Percy can see the look of pity in his eyes with such clarity he almost starts to pity himself.

"Every time the two camps have met it has ended in bloodshed and war." Percy frowns in reply. "And I'm afraid most recently was no different." He looks sad, Percy notes, but he ignores that observation and allows his anger and frustration take charge.

"We saved the world together." He almost shouts, Annabeth's hand in his calms him down considerably. "Shouldn't that count for something?" Chiron just stares at him with that same sadness and pity.

"There have been many times," Chiron begins with a faraway look. "That we have co-operated with each other, but after every moment of peace there is war." He looks back at the two and Percy has to reel back in his seat from the look of protectiveness. "And I won't risk putting you two in danger."

"Not that we don't already have our fair share of danger anyway." Percy scoffs. Chiron simply looks at him with a sad frown.

Percy often feels pity for their mentor, he raises heroes to respect the gods and trains them to be the best that they can possibly be, sadly no one is invincible, no one can truly be the best and survive every attack. All it takes is one trip up, one slight miscalculation and they end up monster food.

He is more involved with half-bloods then the gods.

"He is right." Annabeth lets out after a few tense moments; Percy feels blindsided and immediately turns towards his girlfriend. She doesn't meet his eyes. "It would be too stupid for us to go there. That much hatred for each other, simply can't be overlooked from simply saving the world."

Percy looks down at the ping pong table in annoyance.

He knows they are right, but still he had hoped that maybe just once something amazing would happen for them, something like living in New Rome and raising a family together.

He lets out a sigh and shakes his head, giving her hand a squeeze.

"Fine." He grunts back. "Was that all Chiron?" he asks looking back up towards the older man.

Chiron smiles sadly and nods his ascent.

Slowly the pair raise from their seats, their hands shaking as they pull their chairs in. Percy really just wants to go chill out by the beach right now. He needs that salty fresh air. But he also needs the safety of his cabin.

"Oh and Percy," Chiron calls out from behind them, Percy takes a quick moment to turn around and look back at his mentor, Annabeth quietly shuffles out the door. He smiles up at the boy. "It really is good to have you back."

Percy manages to smile back, it doesn't reach his eyes, not really anyway. "Thanks again, Chiron."

The walk back to Percy's cabin is done in silence, both demigods far too lost in their own thoughts to even talk to each other, Percy's hands are stuffed in his pockets as he slowly makes his way towards the front door, a scowl almost permanently etched on his face.

His good mood from earlier vanished with Chiron's parting message.

Either way he is glad to be home. He has already promised his mum and Paul that he will be staying with them for a week, just after he has spent at least two days at camp with his friends.

They stop at his cabin where they encounter an awkward silence, something that hasn't occurred to them in quite a while. Percy wonders if this is how it was supposed to feel after kissing the girl of his dreams for the first time, too bad for him after his first kiss he was shoved into a battle with a group of monsters, he really never had any time for those awkward moments.

Annabeth looks at him square in the eyes with a soft look. "You know," she starts just as he is about to lean forward for a kiss. "I really did want to go To New Rome with you."

Percy smiles and puts a hand on her cheek and smiles at her, his forehead rests against hers. She watches him carefully.

"I know." He replies back with a peck on the lips. Her eyes follow his lips before trailing back up to his eyes. "We will figure something out." He replies with a sad smile. "We always do."

She laughs at him and moves back, punching his arm. "You mean I do."

He smiles back at her, rubbing his arm out of habit, and not because his girlfriend is insanely strong. "Yeah. That's what I said."

She smiles and reaches back up to brush her lips against his.

His eyes shut and he smiles as she retracts from him. "See you at dinner Wise girl." He says opening the cabin door with a click.

She smiles back at him and walks towards her cabin with a swagger.

Percy will not admit, nor deny that he watches her with rapt attention, his eyes focused on her butt as she walks.

He smiles to himself and shakes his head, before he once again immerses himself into his cabin. He takes one step through the threshold and his senses go into immediate danger mode, his hand reaches in for riptide as the pen sits snug in his pocket.

His eyes scanning the immediate area.

He doesn't know what it is but he can tell almost immediately that it is a god of some kind. He just hopes that it isn't one that wants to kick his butt or turn him into monster chowder, he really isn't in the mood for that today.

"Percy," a soft voice calls to him, it's innocent and familiar in a way that fills him with warmth and joy. "I'm not an enemy." The words are spoken carefully and Percy smiles slightly at the huddled mass on the trunk at the end of one of the bunks. The smile is one of confusion and genuine relief.

"Lady Hestia." He says with a slight bow.

"Stand Perseus." She says as she rises from her seated position. The young eight year old form walks towards him with a smile that looks far too old on the young face. "We don't have much time."

"Much time?" Percy questions leaning against one of the columns that supports the roof above him.

"Yes, unfortunately they have no accepted your answer."

Percy is genuinely confused by the goddess in front of him. He frowns as he tries to reason out what exactly she is saying, but all he comes up with are blanks and they are more annoying and frustrating then he would have thought.

"Who hasn't accepted my answer?" _And what answer._ He thinks to himself. But Hestia is too busy looking around the cabin, as if at any moment they may be interrupted.

"The Olympians." She answers in a hushed tone as she turns around to face the bunk he had been sleeping on since he first arrived at camps almost five years ago.

Suddenly Percy's world seems to crash around him and he is rushing towards Hestia with a concerned frown. "What?"

Hestia for her part looks unnaturally calm and nowhere near annoyed as she should be by Percy's constant questioning. "They are going to turn you." She says pulling a backpack out of nowhere.

She hands the small dark green pack to Percy, who is still watching the goddess in annoyance and fear.

"You are too valuable." She says opening the pack. "You have clothes," she points to a few pieces of fabric before shoving them aside and picking up a plastic screw top bottle. "A water bottle, a first aid kit, some protein bars, nectar, ambrosia and," she opens the front compartment revealing a wallet, Percy is astonished to note that while the clothes and back pack aren't his, the wallet is. "Your wallet."

"Wait." He says after she has begun to push him towards the back of the cabin. "What are you doing."

She sighs loudly, looking more panicked by the minute. "I'm helping you." A quick 180 turn to see if anyone is in the cabin with them, Percy thinks the goddess is a little paranoid. When she turns back to him, her eyes are wide and beseeching. "I shouldn't be helping you." She says sadly then.

"Then why are you?" Percy asks after a beat. The back pack is now slung over his shoulder. His back to the back window which leads out towards the forest.

She stares up at him and hugs him tightly. Percy shocked does little more than pat her on the back awkwardly, he hasn't been hugged by a goddess before, so he doesn't really know how to proceed.

Letting go she looks up at him, Percy stares into the warmth of her eyes and suddenly he feels at ease, as if she hasn't just told him to run away and leave everything behind.

"Because we are family. And I owe you."

Percy smiles slightly at that before shaking his head.

"But what about Annabeth?" he questions surging towards the door, he can't leave her. He won't do that again.

"No." Hestia orders, immediately Percy turns to her, she is biting her lip, her arm held out wide as if trying to stop him by way of the force, and who knows maybe she can do that. Suddenly a look of determination and resolve flits onto her features and she stares up at Percy with a sad smile. "I will tell her." Relief floods across Percy and suddenly running away doesn't feel so daunting. "But she can't go with you."

"What?" He shakes his head and moves for the door. "No." he resolves clenching his teeth. "I'm not leaving her."

"It's the only way." Hestia reasons. Her hand grips the side of his top. He looks down at her in annoyance, before remembering who she is and what she could do to him. "Her life would be in danger if she went with you." Somehow Percy doesn't deny that. He gives in and shakes his head.

"Fine." He grunts releasing the door knob. He turns towards the goddess. "But promise me you will keep her safe."

"I swear on the River Styx." Hestia replies with a soft smile. Percy can't help but smile back despite that fact he is leaving again, doing everything his guts is telling him not to do.

He moves back towards the window Hestia had ushered him towards, slowly he opens it and straddles the window sill he gives his cabin one last look around.

"This will all blow over soon Percy." She says softly. "I promise."

Percy nods and climbs out the window behind him.

He never noticed the goddess had not sworn on the Styx.

**Chapter two done, so tell me what did ya think? Good? Bad? Terrible?**

**YaoiLuva14: **Yeah I figured I would post that chapter up before the book came out for a new spin on things. Thanks for reviewing and Hope you enjoyed the chapter

**Aww One Week (Guest): **Yeah so I may have lied about the week thing. Hope you enjoyed the chapter

**monkeybaby: **Thanks for the review. Hope you continue to love it

**KitkatMoon: **Trust me he will not be okay with this. Thanks for reviewing

**Ronnie R15: **Cheers for the review I hope you enjoyed this chapter

**dogbiscuit1967: **Thanks for the review. Sadly Annabeth will not be featured much in this fic, well until much later that is, but she will have a more prominent role in the sequel to this one (Because I love her), and yeah she will definitely be going postal on some gods

**NicercyPerico: **Thanks for the review, hope you liked the chapter

**OverLordRevan: **Thanks for the review If the gods did ask Annabeth then that would completely screw up my story line, but you do have an excellent point haha

**Lmb111514: **I feel bad for Percy; I always torture him and emotionally destroy him. I'm glad you enjoyed the first version of this fic; hopefully there will be enough of a difference in the story line that you won't get bored thank you so much for reviewing. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

**Hans50: **Thank you so much for reviewing Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the many more to come.

**Stay tuned for the next update **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey so this was meant to be released days ago but it was boring to write, so sorry but that usually means it will be boring to read and because this chapter is a filler (and a boring one at that) the next chapter will come out sooner, like I will write the next chapter ASAP and post it ASAP.**

**Anyway once again floored to the max at the reception this story has gotten seriously thank you all sooooooo much.**

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, eventual Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

It was heartbreaking leaving the boundaries of camp. Honestly heartbreaking, he had fought so hard and for so long to be back at the camp, to feel that loving embrace of safety that could only be granted for him there, only to be told by a goddess in the form of an adorable eight year old, because let's face it Hestia was adorable when she was in her eight year old form. Adorable in the sense that Percy would often have to remind himself not to pinch her cheeks because she was the eldest god and had been alive for a millennia and whilst he had never seen her grow angry or impatient, he thinks that pinching her cheek and unleashing her inner wrath would be apocalyptic, that he had to run away and break off all contact with his friends, family, camp and even his girlfriend for what felt like the second time in a few months.

He really had started to hate and despise the gods, well he tried to, and they did make it easy for him. But while he had seen and heard them to terrible things to each other, other mortals and even to him he had still seen their best points.

Hermes begging Percy to save his son, Apollo basically saying screw the rules and helping Percy find his twin sister Artemis as she was held captive by an evil Titan, his father telling him how proud he was of him, on countless occasions and even Hestia giving him a quick warning that he should run before the gods could catch wind of where he was.

Really though he had to thank Annabeth, his loving and beautiful girlfriend who had kept him sane and holding on for dear life on the hope that the gods were good, that everything he believed in and fought for was for the good of the world.

He wishes Annabeth were here with him. She would know what to do, would hold his hand and smile at him telling him he would be okay and that they would sort all this out then go back home and get some ice cream and live out their days in each-others company.

That is what hurts the most. More than anything is the fact that she is not beside him. Without her there he feels almost empty and cold, he has never felt lonelier in his life.

Thinking back to this morning he resists the urge to let out a strangled sob. He had only just left the cabin and had been just about to enter the wooded area when he had heard Annabeth's frantic calls.

"Percy!" she had screamed, hiding behind a tree with his fist shoved in his mouth to stop himself from calling out to her he had stayed silent. "Perseus Jackson!" she tried again, risking a glance from behind the trunk he had seen her, eyes wide and frantic as she turned in circles.

"Please don't do this to me again." Her lips trembled and her eyes began to water.

Percy had to leave soon after, unable to watch the love of his life cry out for him.

_It's for the best. _He thinks. His eyes shut halting any and all tears that threaten to spill out. _When I get back we will laugh this off. _He bites his lip; his eyes open as he continues along the non-existent path. _Hestia will watch out for her._

And he believes that to his very core. Of all the gods it seemed like he was now beginning to trust the goddess of the hearth more and more. After all, his dad didn't try to warn him about an impending abduction. He had barely given two Hades that Percy had disappeared and had been subject to yet another highly dangerous and Olympus saving prophecy.

It was as if his father had just given up on him. Percy didn't like to admit it but it was more painful than anything in Tartarus could be.

_He loves me. _Percy thinks to himself with calming breaths, he doesn't want to lose it. _I know he is proud of me, and cares for me. I don't want to end up like Luke._

He clenches and unclenches his fist in irritation and anxiety, Luke had once been like him a happy teenager who praised the ground the gods walked on, willing to do anything to please his father.

_Dad has helped me before. _He reasons to the roaring waves of anger that push and pull at the walls of his head. _He has always tried to help me. But Hermes was only trying to help Luke as well._

He growls loudly and shakes his head dispelling any and all thoughts.

By the time he crosses the Zephyrus Creek that Percy realises there is no going back. Not that he really had a choice anyway. He can't imagine a life without Annabeth and immortality would do just that, it would feel like dying, like falling into Tartarus alone. He would never have given up then and there, he knows it. He isn't as strong as people would guess, he would have given up and slowly faded away from everyone he had once loved and he respects Nico for his ability to face that place alone.

For him this is life and death.

With a sad sigh and a tightened grip on his backpacks strap he crosses the creek on foot, uncaring of the nymphs that watch him in complexity and concern. Campers rarely go this far into the forest alone, unless they have a death wish.

He doesn't realise that nymphs talk more than a hairdresser and soon everyone will know he has left camp. If Annabeth's screams hadn't already given it away that is.

Maybe he does notice the nymphs talking, he has heard them and their gossip about a certain daughter of Demeter and a certain son of Hermes, maybe it's just that he doesn't really care anymore. After all, he has once again been forced to leave everything behind all because of the Olympians massive Hubris.

Percy however knows that he is nowhere near safe, especially seeing as quite obviously nowhere is safe, that they will eventually find him and drag him back kicking and screaming and he is probably better off living in the Arctic away from anyone and everything.

The gnawing sensation he gets in his gut tells him that will probably only escalate the tricky and horrible situation that he is currently stuck in the middle of.

The hairs on his arms rise suddenly, as if someone was watching him and someone was, well not someone more like some _things. _Percy felt like a walking talking billboard for monsters.

'Come here!' his natural demigod scent said. 'Come and eat me I taste like the sea!'

He makes sure to stay on guard for the time being, until he can find a way to lay low, maybe try and find some kind of mystical demigod scent neutraliser.

If only there was such a thing, he sighs loudly and kicks a random stone that had been innocently lying in his warpath, surely one of the Athena or most likely Hecate kids would have figured something out.

Percy sighs loudly, again, stepping over a fallen branch just beside the road that surrounds the camp. With little other options, because believe it or not Percy isn't the greatest guy for directions, well on land that is, by sea he will always know where he is and which way he has to go to get from point A to point B.

Following the road he keeps eyes peeled for monster and the familiar sight of a Strawberry Truck driven by Argus their friendly hundred eyed security guard.

After walking for what feels like hours, when it's actually only been ten minutes since he has started along the lonely road, he feels a strange feeling that emits from his backpack, almost like a buzzing.

He jumps, literally jumps in the air and swirls around, thinking that something has touched his back. It isn't until the strange feeling continues and of course after a quick scan of the area, that Percy realises that no it's not a strange new type of ancient Greek monster he has never heard of that buzzes its victims to death and yes it is coming from inside the backpack.

Percy only hopes to Hades it isn't some kind of bomb that will explode once he opens the bag and the buzzing stops.

Maybe that had been Hestia's plan all along, get him to wander off on his own and blow him up with some Greek fire bomb two hours later.

Confused and slightly annoyed by the odd buzzing, he drags the bag to behind a bush and sits down on the muddy forest floor, so much is happening right now that he doesn't really care if he messes his shorts up. He is sure he saw another pair in the bag earlier anyway.

Opening the bag he gets another not so long look at the provisions Hestia has packed for him while he searches for the strange buzzing object.

Finding nothing in the back and larger pocket he growls loudly, annoyed and irritated at; himself, the buzzing thing that is driving him crazy and the entire world just for being the world.

The buzzing continues without stopping. This concerns Percy more than it should.

_Maybe I pissed the goddess off. _He thinks with a frown. _Is this Hestia's dark side?_

"Di Immortals!" he cries out gripping his hair and threatening to tear it out of the roots. It couldn't be a bomb. Could it? "What in Hades is that?" He knows he should probably know what it is but his mind keeps drawing up mental breaks and images of Greek fire exploding out of his bag.

Annoyed he picks the bag up and throws it a few meters away. The contents of the bag spilling out all over the dirty ground.

It really isn't a good day for the son of Poseidon as he bites back curses and glares at the bag with a look that could kill.

The buzzing continues.

He lets out a large growl that has a squirrel in a nearby tree scatter off in a rush, and a snarl that reminds Percy of Lupa.

Percy gets up off the ground and trudges over to his stuff, kicking it closer to the offending bag that has only just started to cause him trouble, more trouble than any bag should. But that just might be because Percy has had a rough day or because there may or may not be a Greek fire bomb in the bag.

_Greek fire would make the bag heavy. _The rational part of his brain conspires. _Shut up. _The rest of his brain screams back.

Picking up the now empty bag Percy takes a longer inspection, looking for any more pockets. He opens the front pocket and finds noting but a small notebook and a pen, he frowns and is tempted to pick the pen up and see if it turns into another weapon. That might be too good to be true however and instead focuses on trying to find that blasted buzzing that is driving him to a point of insanity that not even Mr D can heal.

Opening the back pocket he sees a small zipper of fabric, the fabric is bright as if there is a light on the other side.

"Is it-" he questions reaching in and opening the secret pocket. He picks up the small device with a frown. "A phone?" he questions.

_Told you it wasn't Greek fire._

"But where did it come from?" Percy questions ignoring the obvious that Hestia had in fact hidden it for him. He wonders why as he stares down at the phone with questioning eyes, the annoying buzzing sound not so annoying anymore, now that he knows what it is.

The phone is nothing special, not an iPhone or any other type of smartphone Percy has seen around, it's just a regular flip phone like the one his mum had a couple of years ago before she had bought her new phone after meeting Paul.

A number flashes at him the word 'Private Number' written above it on the tiny front screen.

Percy of course is hesitant to answer in case the goddess has actually stolen the phone off a person off the street and their friend is ringing to abuse them.

He isn't in the mood for any of that today thank you very much.

_Why would Hestia steal a phone?_ He thinks with a frown his eyes scanning the screen, as if trying to find out who it was on the other end of the line.

He flips the phone open slowly.

"Hello?" he starts, there is a gurgling noise on the other end that has Percy just a little concerned. Is someone drowning?

"Percy!" the voice cries out after a couple of seconds, he has to move the phone away from his ear lest he burst an ear drum from the sheer volume of the voice on the other line

"RED?" He questions confused and a little concerned if she would try to coax him back to camp. He wouldn't need much motivation to head back to camp, all she would have to say is 'Please comeback Percy, we need you.' And he would go running back and into a trap, into a long life he would never want.

Or she could just put Annabeth on the phone.

There is a sigh, a sigh that sounds so broken and hurt that Percy gives a tree a worried look.

It feels like all he has done since birth was unintentionally hurt people, especially in the past year and the past two to three hours since he had left his cabin in a hurry, with a backpack as his only companion.

A tear wells up in his eyes, how long will he have to keep this up? To stay away from everyone he loves? Will it be for a week? A month? A year? Forever?

"How did you get this number?" Percy questions, it may seem stupid given current circumstances, but the question just seems so important to him right now. Did Rachel Elizabeth Dare know all along that this was going to happen?

A beat of silence is met by his question. "I-I don't know." she sounds perplexed, as if she has just woken up from a dream.

Percy starts to grow concerned.

"What?"

"It was just in my phone." She mutters, Percy can imagine her face right now; can see her pouting in his mind's eye. "So I dialled and then you answered." There is more silence and Percy frowns, unable to figure any of this out. "When did you get a phone?" her voice raises slightly.

Percy shrugs his shoulders before he realises she can't see the movement. "Well, just then I guess."

There is another moment of silence followed by a broken sigh. "I'm so sorry." She says softly, Percy wonders if she has been crying.

"It's okay." He replies, with as much strength as he can muster, he doesn't want her to know how bad he is feeling at the moment.

"No." she says her voice breaks and Percy almost cries out loud. "It's not. I can't believe this." She grunts trying to clear her throat.

"H-how did you know?" he asks his hand on the bridge of his nose, his eyes glued shut. There is silence on the other end. "About this-about everything."

"Hestia." She answers simply. "She, well she spoke to me a little before you met with Chiron."

"What?" Percy asks his teeth grit together, the back of his mind tells him not to grind his teeth.

"I'm so sorry." She sobs this time, sobs that sound so bone cracking and terrible that Percy feels guilty. "S-she told me not to say anything."

"How- never mind." He doesn't remember the goddess appearing around that time, but he remembers how sometimes he could hear his father's voice in his head, he figures other gods and goddesses are no exception. "It's fine." Percy says quickly, he can't deal with all this emotion.

He feels emotionally exhausted and really just can't be bothered to deal with any of this and it's only been a couple of hours. He supposes even if he wasn't emotionally exhausted he still wouldn't be able to deal with any of this. He doubts he would ever be able to deal with any of this.

It all just felt like too much and he had gone through a lot over the years. This just seemed like the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Is everyone okay?" he questions quickly shoving clothes pack into his pack, the phone wedged in between his ear and his shoulder. It's unsurprising that he can't get everything into that perfect fit that Hestia had done just hours earlier.

They both know just who he means by everyone. He needs to know that she is okay though. He needs reassurance.

There is a moment of silence, it lasts for maybe two, three seconds. It isn't really long but for Percy it lasts for an eternity, his heart breaks and rebuilds a million times within those seconds.

"She's fine."

"I'm coming back."

"No!" she shouts into the phone, Percy has to remove the phone from his ear, again. "Percy, you need to stay away."

"But-"

"No buts." She cuts him off sternly. "She will be more hurt if they take you. You know that?" Percy stands up slowly, strapping his pack, his body faces the way he has come with an almost certainty. He understands what Rachel Elizabeth Dare means, he does but going almost three hours without seeing her, the last memory he has of her is her chasing after him and crying. "She understands, Percy I swear she understands." She says calmly, like she is trying to pacify an active volcano.

With a steady and calm breath Percy exhales and looks towards the road behind him. He stands still though unmoving. He doesn't know what to do. He wants to go back, he feels weak and useless and just terrible, but he knows that he has to continue onwards.

"I don't know what to do." Percy sighs turning around in circles.

"Neither do I." Rachel says in return. "I wish I could tell you what to do."

"Does Annabeth know anything?"

There is more silence.

"Rachel? RED? You there?"

"Yeah," Rachel Elizabeth Dare replies back. Percy scratches his arm with a nervous energy. "Yeah I'm here." There is more silence, silence that seems to burn Percy.

"Well?" he tries again. "Does Annabeth know anything?" He hopes Rachel will put her on the phone. He wants to hear her voice again, listen to her tell him that he was an idiot for going off alone.

He needs her so much right now.

"I don't think it's a good idea to involve her at the moment." Rachel answers back quickly, a little too quickly.

Percy feels on edge.

Above his head clouds begin to darken, and Percy realises he has been standing still during this entire phone call and that no doubt a group of monsters are trying to locate his presence.

He turns his back on the camp and continues along the road.

"Why not?" he asks, and maybe he sounded a bit harsh, maybe he should have been a little more calm, because he can suddenly sense Rachel close off over the phone, something that is totally out of character for the red head.

"RED?"

"Gotta go." She rushes back, her voice sounds hushed. "Mr D is back."

Percy is suddenly confronted with the sound of a dial tone.

Thunder begins suddenly, loud and crashing. Percy looks towards the sky with a frown. He knows that right now he is on the run.

"Well," Percy sighs running a hand through his already messy and somehow dirty hair. "I guess the hunt is on."

* * *

><p>A few hours later Percy finally manages to get into New York City. Currently it is a little past midnight and the storm of the century has started, close to maybe ten minutes ago and is tearing up parts of the city. Honestly, Percy is a little surprised that there isn't a hurricane on Fifth Avenue.<p>

Seriously, he swears at one stage a car was almost picked up clean off the street.

"Woah!" a man says wandering up to him, his breath smells of stale bear and nachos a smell that reminds him of his old step father Gabe Ugliano. Percy had to turn his head the other way in case he threw up from the rank smell, the man wraps a beefy arm around his neck pulling him into a tight embrace, the wind whipping the front of his fringe around like a piece of paper caught in an updraft. "Bro, talk about storm of the century!" he cries out into Percy's ear before staggering off down the street.

Percy freezes for a few moments trying to put together what just happened, before turning around to watch the man turn down the side of an ally and blow chunks, chunks that seemed to move with against the wind and stain the man pants.

Percy holds back a laugh, he doesn't know if the man will pick a fight with him if he hears, he can't be bothered holding back his full strength at the moment and he knows that right now if he did get into a fight with a mortal, which on the streets of New York City was very likely, he may just very well end up killing them.

"Bro!" he calls out pointing down to his pants.

Percy raises his eyebrows and quickly walks the other way realising the man might not want a fight but might ask for help to clean his pants. No one could pay him enough to clean up Nacho mans vomit stained jeans.

Shoving his now frozen hands in his pockets he continues on his way.

Percy wishes he had worn longer pants because the shorts he is wearing right now, which were perfect for the summery weather of camp Half-Blood are doing nothing for the freezing streets of New York.

Though he didn't really think that he would be running through a blizzard like storm in the middle of the night, rather he had hoped that he would all warm and tucked up in bed.

Hestia, while either forgetting to pack a long pair of pants or simply just not packing a pair of longer pants, (because its summer and who wears long pants in summer?) did however pack him a jacket, one in which he had never seen before in his life but was one hell of a warm and comfortable item of clothing. It was as if the jacket was to make up for the lack of jeans.

If Percy ever saw Hestia again he would be glad to tell the goddess that 'Yes the jacket did make up for the "No Jeans thing."'

Squaring his shoulders Percy turns down his street. The hood of his coat covering most of his hair, just to stop it from whipping around and hitting him in the eyes. Though it doesn't stop Percy occasionally having to hold the hood to his head whenever a freak gust of air decided to blow in his direction pushing the hood off his head.

He was going to get a haircut soon, Annabeth had complained about just after they had gotten back, calling it 'Shaggy' and 'Un-hero like'. Percy had laughed and asked her if she wanted him to get a haircut like Hercules from the Disney movie.

Annabeth told him she would think about it.

Suddenly Percy stops and looks up towards a dark and somewhat empty building across the road from him. Paul's Prius sitting right in front of the building.

"Home." He says softly staring up towards the building with a gentle smile. He wants to walk through that front door and up those steps and barge into his apartment just like old times and hug his mum and never stop hugging her until she asks what's wrong and then instead of answering he will hug her some more.

Because while Percy is a strong man, who has defended and saved Western civilisation countless times nothing can make him feel better like a hug from his mum.

Instead he stands outside in the waling wind staring up towards the darkened building, his eyes looking into the window he knows is the living room.

He doesn't realise the danger he is in, not yet anyway.

But he figures that he is stuck on the Island of New York. He guesses the first thing that the gods would have done was set up a blockade or some kind of security system to let them know if he passed the borders and left the city or something.

The fact they hadn't done that at Camp Half-Blood honestly surprises and stuns Percy, he half expected to reach the border and instead of passing through it, get flung right back against the ground with a nymph standing over him and laughing.

What's even worse is that he may just very well being watched by someone or something now as he stands outside his home.

Letting out a noise that is a mixture between a grunt and a whimper he moves on, barely catching another glance at his home.

_She will worry about me. _He thinks again chewing his lip as he walks around another corner and into the next street. _Disappeared for half a year only to come back and have to leave again. What a greeeaaat adventure._

Percy really hates this and everyone around him at the moment, he even growls at a woman who smiles at him in greeting, concern evident in her eyes as she watches him walk away.

"Probably thinks I am some kind of street kid." He mumbles to himself kicking a bit of plastic along the sidewalk, he smirks slightly not out of amusement but of sorrow. "Guess I kind of am now though."

His legs grow weary and tired, to the point where he has to sit down for a couple of moments on the steps of a local bank. It's here when he is looking up and down the streets unsure of what to do that he sees the dark window that he instantly recognizes.

"Café Grumpy." He says in amusement.

His mum goes there every morning for a coffee with Paul before they would both head of on their separate ways. He had tagged along a few times; before getting annoyed at the constant love eyes the two adults would give each other when there.

Don't get him wrong he did like Paul, he was good to Sally. He was everything his mother deserved in a person, and he was happy that they were married and just together in general. What he didn't like was watching the couple flirt and kiss.

That was his mum, and he didn't need to see that. Ever.

Smiling sadly he crosses the road, almost getting hit once by a speeding taxi with a young man hanging out the window singing loudly while his friend tries to drag him back in through the window screaming at the driver to keep driving.

He smiles slightly, while images like that should be enough to turn him off alcohol and to be proud of his warrior like upbringing, it really just makes him feel depressed. He knows that for the rest of his life, nights like that which would be frequent for people his age would be a rarity with the monsters that are out there lusting after his blood, most demigods didn't even attempt things like that and those that did would either wake up missing a limb or just not wake up at all.

He sighs loudly and leans up against the metal bars looking in at the café, he could see why his parents loved this place, the space inside was beautiful and honestly he doubted if Annabeth could make it look any better, despite the time he had made her come in with him for a hot chocolate, because they made amazing hot chocolates the only thing he could think that was better would be a square of ambrosia and a glass of nectar and that was understandable because it was the food of the gods. Annabeth had looked at it with a questioning smile and immediately he could see a million and one ideas floating around in her head on ways to improve the space.

"How will I let them know I'm okay?" Percy questions looking at the table the couple usually sit at in annoyance.

He needs to let them know what is happening and that he isn't dead or missing, he is just running away.

Yeah, because that sounds so much better.

The phone, now situated in his pocket, buzzes once Percy reacts immediately, fishing it out and reading the text message with a frown. 'Private Number' it reads and Percy gives the store in front of him a knowing look before flipping the phone open to retrieve the message.

'_Meet me at the Docks in an hour. - Red'_

He flips the phone shut and sighs. He is not too far from the docks now and he could probably get there in twenty minutes maybe less. He bites his lip thinking of what he can do.

It isn't for a couple of seconds that realisation suddenly dawns on him that he quickly reaches for his bag pulling out the notepad and pen he had found earlier lying in the front pocket. He looks up towards the sky and silently praises Hestia with everything he has.

Flipping the first page open he finds a small note written in elegant Ancient Greek, the kind of writing that any person Percy has ever met would kill for;

_Thought you might need this_

_-Hestia_

He smiles again and almost fist pumps, only just stopping himself from the movement before setting the notebook against the wall of the building, careful not to stab the paper too hard while he writes just in case it goes through the paper and into the void between the bricks.

Writing out a brief over view of what is happening and filling the rest of the page with, 'I will be okay', 'Stay safe', and 'this isn't your fault.' He concludes with a simple love you, all written in Ancient Greek.

He just hopes his mother remembers the foreign letters and the brief words he had managed to teach her in their spare time months ago. It was as if they both knew something like this would happen.

He smiles sadly folding the piece of paper in half, writing Sally Blowfis on the front and wedging it underneath the door.

He knows that way she will get the message.

Turning his back on the café he continues his way down towards the docks, careful to make sure that no one is following him.

**So what did you think? Horrid? Great? What the Hades is this? Let me know in the review section.**

**Also thinking of instead of having this as just a bunch of fics and just turning it into one giant monstrous fic with different story lines and such, which would possibly involve more chapters than originally planned so please let me know what you think of that. **

**Though warning, chances are I will do it anyway.**

**Le Diablo Blanc2: **I totally agree with you, I love Percabeth but honestly every second story is Percabeth and it all just gets frustrating and boring. And yes when we meet Annabeth again she will be very irritated and annoyed at the gods. Thank you for reviewing.

**monkeybaby: **Thank you hope you liked this chapter

**Hans50: **Thank you so, so much I really appreciate it, this re-write is both tiring and a lot of fun and reviews like this just make it much more fun.

The gods are all starting to panic and we will have a lot more of an inside look in the next chapter into what is going on. Percy is definitely going to be pissed off about this especially when he finds out their selfish motivations.

**NicercyPercico: **Thank you so much for reviewing. Unfortunately I don't think I will, I just don't think I would do a Percy/Nico story any justice. But I will be throwing in a bit of one sided Nico/Percy in this fic.

**KitkatMoon: **Thank you so much for reading both fics haha, I'm really excited about where I am taking this whole fic as well, 'No Choice' just seems like a jumping board for this story.

**AmeliaJane14: **Hope you enjoyed this chapter

**YaoiLuva14: **Sorry about the wait for this chapter, but thank you for reading and reviewing

**×RinneandSharin×: **Percy will not be the most stealthy of all people in this fic and he will almost get caught a few times in the duration of this story , but he will have plenty of time with Artemis to learn the basics ;)

Thank you so much for reviewing and I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter

**ChaoticMathFreak: **hahaha Thank you so much, the Pertamis will be eventual but it will happen trust me. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Utoris Son of Gaia: **Thank you for reading and reviewing this story, Percy will be wimpy for a bit of this fic but he will grow more stronger and there will be a time where he will turn slightly evil, it just won't happen right away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow so remember how I said I would update this as fast as possible. Yeah may well have lied and you should probably not trust me. **

**Anyway thank you everyone who has reviewed/Favourited and Followed this story, seriously guys I really appreciate it. **

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

"_Father." A voice hisses, Percy jumps and shudders at the same time moving through the shadows, shadows that look nothing like the room he fell asleep in._

_He blinks once and twice looking at his hands. _

_He is dreaming._

"_Triton." A louder voice replies with a grumble._

_Percy looks up from his hands and towards the voices, he sees nothing there but a closed door, one that is at least two times bigger than the one at Olympus._

_Gazing around carefully Percy looks around the room a room Percy decides is a hallway with multiple doors to the sides. Quickly he checks to see if the coast is clear._

_His dad and half-brother, Triton, are behind that door. He is certain of it._

_He is about to step out of the shadows, ignoring that screaming sensation telling him to stay still, when the door opens. Percy watches the duo walk/swim out of the room, their movements in perfect synchronisation. _

_Percy sees it then, while he looks more like their father it is Triton who is the most like the eldest sea god, whether that be from a millennia of following and copying the older god or if it is simply just the way he is. Percy finds the thought odd and brushes it off to the side._

_He has always found it weird that his half-brother, let alone his father, is a god._

_The two move in silence for a moment until suddenly they stop, Poseidon's head bowed in what Percy thinks may be sadness, a weird emotion for a god he decides quickly. _

_Triton stops beside him and lays a gentle hand on the older gods shoulder, it's weird seeing two gods act so casual together, so familiar. He shudders._

"_Father? What's wrong?" sympathy edges into his voice in a way that Percy finds odd. _

_Poseidon looks up at his son with a sad smile._

"_I've done something." Triton stiffens._

_Percy's rage begins to pool in his veins he clenches his eyes together in an attempt to calm down before he opens his eyes again. Watching the duo in front of him._

"_Another mortal?" the merman asks and Poseidon shakes his head dispelling his son of all thoughts of another woman entering into their family. Percy can practically hear the sigh of relief. "Then what is it? It can't be that bad."_

_Poseidon is silent for the longest time, Percy watches the god carefully, his veins are frozen in fear and anxiety, his heart is hammering in his chest like a hammer in a forge._

_Triton leans his head back, Percy is unable to see his face but he can imagine a look of total confusion before something in him seems to click._

"_It's that Jackson kid isn't it." He grumbles. _

"_Percy." Poseidon says looking back at his eldest son, right in the eyes with a look of warning. "Your brother." He says as if to remind the young god that they are related._

_Percy can just imagine a dummy in the training arena with his face on it, he is sure both Triton and Amphrite have probably taken their frustrations out on it._

_He shudders at the thought._

_Triton crosses his arms and stares at their father. "What about him?" _

_Poseidon is quiet for what feels like hours. Percy's mind is at a standstill suddenly overly aware of everyone and everything, he can feel the ocean currents, hear the hushed murmurs of noise coming from another room at the end of the corridor and for a moment he swears he can hear his father's heartbeat. _

"_We are going to change him." he whispers. Percy knows this of course, but that doesn't mean his emotions accept what his father has just said. Poseidon looks away from Triton, the merman's eyes are scrunched up in confusion._

"_Change him?" he asks looking across the hall, as if trying to put a puzzle together. "You don't mean turning him into a god? Do you?" Triton turns on their father quickly then with the precision of a viper, Percy feels the currents around him shift dangerously._

_He can feel the darkness around him as if it were about to swallow him. He moves back slightly against the wall as Poseidon shifts his view to where Percy is currently standing. Percy has never been caught sneaking in a dream, he doesn't even know if he can be caught snooping in a dream, and he doesn't really want to test that thought out right now._

"_You can't do that?" Triton growls out and suddenly Poseidon is staring back at his son with a scowl. There is a brief moment of relief that floods through the demigod before it is crushed by a wave of gratitude for his half-brother. That is until Triton shakes his head and continues. "I will not have that _mortal _gifted in such a way." _

_Yeah he figured it would be too much to ask for , for Triton to help him out._

_Poseidon looks angry for a moment. Percy almost cheers him on to squish the god with his fist. With a sad sigh Poseidon shakes his head as if trying to rid himself of any anger he may have at his eldest son. _

"_Triton." He mutters, "I know you do not approve of my… extra-curricular activities with mortals." Triton nods his head along his arms folded across his chest as he stares down at his father. "But Percy is my son and your brother" Triton opens his mouth to rebuke but Poseidon simply casts a hand over his sons mouth and continues on with a sad smile. "And I refuse to lose another child."_

_Tritons face softens for a moment. Percy wipes away a droplet of water that he swears is from the ocean around him and not from any form of tear. _

_The two are silent for a total of seven Mississippi's before Triton suddenly speaks up. "I may not approve of the women you see behind mothers back. However that doesn't mean I hate them, or you." Percy can see Tritons forehead crease and there is a moment where Percy can see himself in the young god. "But I want to help you." He says slowly, his eyes fixed to the sea god._

_Poseidon smiles kindly at his son and hugs him. Percy has never before felt like such a third wheel in his life. _

_The demigod frowns slightly, his temper surprisingly kept at bay by the probability that they will sense him. _

_Honestly he is surprised his father hasn't noticed him already. Didn't he get this unpredictable gift from him? Shouldn't he be able to sense him at least? _

"_Thankyou Triton." Poseidon says, his eyes drifting back to the spot where Percy stands. A twinkle in his eye tells Percy that his father knows._

* * *

><p>Percy wakes up, sweaty, confused and in pain. Rachel stands over him with a triumphant grin. Her shoe just millimetres from Percy's ribs.<p>

"Ouch!" he grunts gripping the area her foot had been just seconds earlier, he looks up at his friend in confusion and irritation. "What was that for?"

Rachel stands over him with a wide smirk. "You were making weird noises."

Percy doesn't remember that being on the list of reasons for kicking someone awake. Then again he is fairly sure that if that list was real, Rachel Elizabeth Dare would be more interested in knowing if the paper was recycled or not.

If it wasn't Percy would be subjected to a long lecture about preserving the natural world, something he already believed in.

Really he was all for protecting the planet and nature but what he wasn't interested was listening to someone talk about it non-stop for an hour, he had gotten enough of that from Grover and Rachel, even on one horrid occasion, he had been forced to listen to them both blather on about it after seeing one of the Aphrodite campers drop a candy wrapper on the ground.

It was a Tartarus that even Annabeth hated.

Percy slowly rises from his makeshift cot still grumbling about lists and recycled paper.

He looks around the room, as if to make sure the nightmare he is currently living is real, upon seeing the decrepit walls of sheet metal that surround him he sighs and shakes his head.

It wasn't all a crazy nightmare. It was all real.

All of it, the thanks he gets from them is this, a decision made about him without even a single input of an idea from him. He never asked for this, in fact he never asked for anything after the Giant War, he already had everything he needed, everything he had ever wanted.

There is a pooling sensation in his gut, which he recognises immediately as irritation and anger.

After everything he has done for them? They force him into this. Even his own father. The same father that had called him the 'Greatest Hero' who had praised him after every quest.

The pooling sensation turns red hot, his eyes get teary from the overspilling emotions of betrayal and anger. He forces them shut and clenches his jaw.

The walls around him begin to shake.

There is a shout somewhere near him but he can't hear it properly over the crashing tides of blood that rushes to his head, he clenches his fist as tight as he can, the skin burns hotter than the coals in a forge, his knuckles feel as if they are about to rip through his skin like a werewolf changing form.

"Stop!"

There are hands on his shoulders shaking him, or is he just shaking?

"Percy!" the voice shouts again, Percy knows its Rachel now, who else would it be?

Who does he want it to be?

_Annabeth. _He thinks softly her name like a calming breath. A calming breath that turns toxic and lethal after a second. _They made me leave her. I was HAPPY!_

The floor beneath him crackles and above all the noise Percy can hear the waves of the ocean crash against the wooden beams of the docks around them, the salty air pushing and pulling him shifting him into a shape of no design.

He just wants to be left alone.

Why isn't anyone leaving him alone.

"Percy!" the voice sounds closer as if screaming in his ear. "They will sense you!" the anger grows and suddenly Percy feels like a volcano his anger building and building. It should scare him, he should be freaked out. He knows what can happen if he gets too out of control it will not be a pretty sight.

A hand touches his face.

His eyes spring open, the tears stop and with one final and mighty push he shoves Rachel off him, he watches her fly across the small room he has been sleeping in as if having an outer body experience, she falls and her head catches against one of the metal beams that hold the light sheeted metal up.

She screams.

Suddenly the anger stops, everything comes to a blinding halt. The roof stops shaking.

"Shit!" Percy shouts eyes wide he leaps off the cot towards his friend.

He skids to a halt in front of her, immediately crouching onto his knees. He is millimetres away from her.

"Rachel?" he asks, his hand moving to her chin. She looks up at him tears in her eyes, her face unusually pale. "Oh gods." He mutters, tears begin to blot his eyes as a wave of guilt and anger floods through him.

He removes his hand quickly and throws it towards his cheek with a stinging slap. Rachel frowns a little and Percy wants to scream. "Oh gods." He says again resting his head in his hands as he stares down into his lap. "Oh gods."

He could have killed her. He knows that.

"Oh gods." He says again standing.

"Shut up." Rachel whines with a faraway look, she starts to move to her feet. "Give us a hand." She grunts back a hand reaching out towards him in expectation.

Percy rushes to her side and helps her to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asks, his voice cracks a little from the guilt. He is too dangerous to be near his friends.

"Yeah, yeah." She says, but she sounds half-hearted at best, something Percy takes note of. He bites his lip. "Just have a bit of a headache." She mutters dusting off her jeans.

He stays in his guilt ridden silence for a couple more minutes, slowly inspecting his friend to make sure that she is okay and not just telling him she is. He doesn't know much about medical science, but he has watched enough episodes of 'Grey's Anatomy' , surprisingly a favourite show of his step-father Paul, to know what to look for if she really has hit her head too hard.

He had hated the show, personally he had found it boring a repetitive. Really it was a shame Paul and Sally enjoyed it so much that they would organise their whole night around the show forcing Percy to sit with them and watch it.

Percy was going to buy them the box set for Christmas.

Except well know the prospect of spending Christmas with his parents was a bleak thought that was causing him more harm than good. It was a shame really, Paul made a good Christmas pudding.

"Stop." She says suddenly and Percy is brought back to the real world all thoughts of Christmas pudding thrown out the metaphorical window. Slowly she walks towards him until she is standing right in front of him, a worried look crosses her face Percy finds it odd. Shouldn't he be the one worried for her? He did just push her up against a wall.

"I need you to relax." She says carefully, her eyes drift all over his face as if trying to take everything in. Percy thinks she very well may be concussed.

"What? Why?" he asks rubbing the back of his head, he imagines a large lump that would be painful to touch on the back of the oracles head, he hopes there isn't a lump. He won't be able to live with himself if there was.

"They can sense things like that." she takes a step back and turns around, Percy has a brief opportunity to look for any sort of lump on the back of her head before she moves away. He sees nothing too prominent and brushes that thought to the back of his mind and instead focuses on the new topic.

"Sense what?" he asks, he shoves his hands in his pockets. His right hand nervously toys with Riptide.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare stops and turns quickly then giving him a quick once over, her brow raised as if inspecting him for something, a bleaker thought in Percy's mind tells him that she is checking to see if he will have another emotional breakdown and hurt her again.

He shudders.

"Your anger." She replies before picking something up off the ground, beside an overturned desk that Percy swears was standing upright earlier.

Percy doesn't have much of a chance to suss out what the mystery object is before what she has said sinks in.

"What?" He asks frowning. "My anger?" he thinks back to all the times he has blown like just now and frowns at himself, it's a side of him that he doesn't really enjoy, but there isn't much he can do about it. His anger is a part of him, he can't simply brush it away. "What?" he says again before looking back up at Rachel who is checking the mysterious object out. There is a moment where Percy thinks it may be a wallet. "How?"

She looks up at him then with cautious eyes before she slowly turns around the room and then back to him.

That's when Percy takes in the destruction and mess his small little outburst has caused.

The small room that had been designated as his bedroom, was completely and utterly trashed.

Sheet metal that had once separated the tiny room from the rest of the warehouse now hung from the structural beams and looking like huge shiny pieces of paper, there was paper too, paper that had once been sitting in a filing cabinet in the corner was now scattered all over the rickety floor, Percy was surprised that the floor hadn't caved in already. And then there was a hole in the roof, creating a natural skylight that spelt trouble for when it rained next and judging from the clouds that could be any minute.

He sighed loudly, it seemed his little temper tantrum would make him have to change rooms.

It was a shame really, this room was absolutely perfect for him for reasons such as; being closest to the makeshift bathroom, which was nothing but a portable toilet that had been left behind after Rachel had gotten into a fight with an architect and builder over the main load bearing wall getting knocked down or not causing all work to stop, it was also the smallest room in the entire warehouse that overlooked the main floor with an emergency exit that could only be opened from the inside and led out onto the back docks for an easy escape and well it also had a window with a really pretty view of the city.

If he looked close enough he could see his apartment complex.

But looking back at Rachel Elizabeth Dare he truly realises the damage he has done, this was her warehouse, a place that she had bought with her own pocket money, an exorbitant amount of pocket money of course, but still something she had worked hard to buy.

He frowns slightly she was going to use it as an art studio. Somewhere she could paint and show her art, she had even told him she was going to have workshops for those who were struggling in the art world, it was a dog eat dog world out there for struggling artists apparently.

The look she had, had was something Percy had only seen when Annabeth was designing the temples on Olympus.

He frowns at himself and looks back at his friend, his sea green eyes filled with sorrow.

"I'm so sorry." He says his hand running through his hair and he stares around the room. "I will pay for the damage."

Rachel rolls her eyes and stares at him, he can tell he is being stupid and he can tell that she is thinking the exact same thing. "Really?" she says Percy can practically hear yet another eye roll. "What are you going to pay for it with? Your charm?"

Percy smiles back at her without humour.

Rachel palms the mysterious object one more time before throwing him the object. "Speaking of paying."

He catches the object in one hand, studying it he notices that is in fact a leather bound wallet. A leather bound wallet filled with cash.

Shocked he looks back up at Rachel Elizabeth Dare and smiles before shaking the smile off and shaking his head.

"I really can't accept this." He says tossing it back to her.

She catches it against her chest and stares back at him bewildered. "Really I insist." She says before throwing it back.

Percy catches it and for a moment he stares at her, honestly he wants to take it her really does but he can't she has done too much. "I can't RED." He says looking back down at it before tossing it back. "You've already done so much for me."

She catches it and glares at him. "Seriously. Percy take it."

She throws it again. This time Percy raises both hands and takes a step to the side he watches it sail past where he had once stood, it lands on the floor with a soft thud that is accompanied by another roar of thunder.

"Percy." She sighs. A hand on her hip another resting on her forehead. "You need to take it." The hand that had once covered her eyes move quickly and he is staring into her green eyes again. She looks frustrated and tired.

Percy feels at least a million times guiltier.

"I can't." he replies with a resigned sigh. "Rachel, you have already done enough" he shrugs his shoulders a movement that makes him feel like he is once again holding the sky. "I can't accept or ask for anything more."

He looks back up at Rachel who is glaring at him as if he has just called her a mule. "Okay first up" she starts with a frown. "Stop with the whole nobility thing, nothing noble about it," Percy smiles a little, "It's kind of annoying." She walks towards the wallet and picks it up.

"And you know everything about annoying, don't you?"

Rachel Elizabeth Dare glares at him. "Secondly." She starts walking back to him, the wallet in her hand. "You are going to take the money." She shoves into Percy's chest. "And you're going to spend it. Got it?"

Percy has never been more terrified of Rachel Elizabeth Dare in his life, at least that's what he tells himself when he accepts the money.

* * *

><p>ADHD is probably one of the best things to happen to a demigod, really its great those reflexes and that constant need for movement and being able to focus in on both everything and nothing at the same time can really save your life in dangerous situations.<p>

It can also be a terrible horrible thing that can have every demigod a bored and hyperactive mess in just a couple of minutes. And if you times those couple of minutes by a day and a half and you have yourself one bored as Hades demigod who is just about climbing the walls in boredom.

So maybe it was his total boredom that brought Percy out of his not so humble abode. Rather for the first time in days the sun had let up and Percy was determined to escape his confines for at least an hour.

Unfortunately Percy was terrible at judging the passing of time, something Sally had said she found ironic after his victory over the Titan Lord Kronos. So after what Percy had thought was only half an hour which had actually been an hour and a half Percy had wandered over towards Central Park.

It seemed that everyone had taken that brief advantage of sunlight that had lured him out of his safe house.

"Wow." He muttered entering the park narrowly dodging a little girl who was making a runner from her parents who were chasing her down. He smiles slightly as the mother scoops her up and yells at her for running off. Percy had been just like the girl when he was younger, he was the reason his mother had grey hairs.

He liked to think now though, that he was a responsible adult that knew right from wrong and when to run and when not to run.

A smell wafts in the air distracting Percy from his inner thoughts. "Hot Dogs."

Saliva starts pooling inside his mouth and his eyes water from joy. It seemed that finally something good was happening, luck that was long overdue.

He walks quickly, not running he swears. After days of living off protein bars, dried fruits and various nuts that Rachel had given him after telling him to stay put for a few days he was starting to go insane with hunger for real food and after just two days of eating nothing but dried packaged food he realised there was no way he would be able to last another day without normal food.

He craved food, real food. Like a cheeseburger or pizza, the kind of food that was essential for a young strong demigod like him to live. Rachel had glared at him and had shaken her head telling him that there was; 'No way in Hades am I going to cycle a pizza out here for you.'

So Percy was stuck with those tasteless protein bars, well until now.

Yeah he figured that leaving the warehouse was quite honestly a terrible idea and that is he had any sort of brain he should have stayed inside and eaten the rest of his gross boring food until it was safe for him to leave, but the sun was out and boredom had well and truly kicked in and kicked him out of the safety of his home.

Finding the hot dog vendor who is standing just a few meters away from the entrance to the park, probably a way to lure innocent demigods into a cholesterol hell, he smiles.

"Two please." He says, a smile obviously pointed at the hot dogs that sit on display in front of him.

The man smiles right back at him and hands him the food. Percy just about snatches the dogs out of his hands practically throwing the money at him and saying his thanks in between mouthfuls of food. Before wandering off to eat his delicious meal alone.

He wanders around for another twenty minutes, before once again growing bored and extremely paranoid. Slowly he heads away from the park he passes Goode and with a sad smile continues on his way, his hands in his pockets he slowly soaks up the sun, his unusually pale skin, from the days of sitting in a dark room, getting as much light as it can and honestly it feels great to be out soaking up the rays as well as attempting to get his natural Olive coloured skin back to normal.

Something he would have been doing on the beach at Camp with his friends and girlfriend if shit hadn't hit the fan and thrown his life up into the air.

In fact that's how he spends the rest of the day, walking around New York, avoiding as many people as he possible can. He even goes so far as to buy a New York Yankees baseball cap.

Sure it wasn't like the one Annabeth had but it was close enough and if he angled it right he could easily cover half of his face that wasn't the only reason he bought it though.

There was also a sentimental reason behind the purchase, after all it took him at least twenty minutes to find the right hat one that looked the most like Annabeth's. He wouldn't deny the sentiments behind the purchase, he figured that the world owed him as much not to feel guilty or wimpy for buying him a hat that reminded him of his girlfriend.

He had written a letter for Annabeth and had given it to Rachel the afternoon she left to go back to camp. He didn't need to tell Rachel who it was for, she was smart like that and knew straight away. He was sort of glad that he had her with him right now.

That didn't mean he didn't know how dangerous it was for her.

Part of him was actually weighing the positives and negatives of her helping him. So far the negatives far outweighed the positives and he knew that soon he would have to leave without telling her. The less she knew about his whereabouts the better.

That was probably why he wasn't dragging Annabeth along with him. It was far too dangerous. Yes he needed and wanted her at his side but honestly he had a feeling that he would be safer on his own, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone or about his flaring temper.

He rounds a familiar looking corner and almost drops down to the ground by the sheer presence he suddenly feels around him.

The hairs on the back of his neck rise, his stomach drops and suddenly he grows hyper aware. He feels like right now if someone threw a grain of sand at him, he would be able to catch it without even blinking.

It's the presence of a god.

More than one it seems.

He shudders realising that he is standing just outside his parent's apartment.

_Seems like they have set up a watch._ He thinks with grinding teeth.

He must have accidently followed his route home from Goode, a route that he was so used to. A route that could have very well screwed his life up.

"Crap." He growls shifting the hat a little to cover more of his face.

The street looks empty like it did the night before. Percy would have questioned his instincts but the feeling that surrounds him is so overpowering that he knows he should trust it.

He turns quickly and carefully walking out of the street and back towards Central Park, hoping to lose any followers in the large crowds that have gathered by the park.

After a few minutes of wandering the park the paranoia wears off and he is certain that no one has followed him, he practically runs to the docks and back towards the warehouse.

A feeling of dread pools in his stomach again, making Percy feel nauseas. He thinks it could either be the two hotdogs and all the running or relief that he is back at the closest thing he has left to a home.

He turns down a small alley way until he is face to face with the warehouse.

The salty ocean air whips around his face calming him almost immediately, lulling him into a false sense of security. The strange feeling however still sits in his gut. It feels worse than the butterflies he had when he and Annabeth had first started dating, worse than the time his English teacher forced him to do a speech on Macbeth for a class assignment. Something he thought should be in the Fields of Punishment.

He fishes the key out of his pocket brushing off all negative thoughts.

_I'm safe._ He thinks with a calming breath, he slots the key into the lock and takes another deep breath, the feeling of dread fading rapidly. _I'm okay. Breath. Your fine. Don't freak out. _He turns the key, finding little resistance from the use over the past few days.

He remembers the night Rachel Elizabeth Dare brought him here for the first time telling him that this was his new home. It had taken them ten minutes to try and twist the key in the lock so they could open the door.

The door opens with an ear splitting screech that has Percy close his eyes and grimace. "Gah!" he calls out before slowly stepping inside the dark room.

He frowns an off feeling hitting him, the smell of the sea growing stronger and stronger until all he can smell is a salty freshness that he associates with two different things the beach and-

"Perseus."

"Fuck."

**Sort of a cliff hanger but not really. Hope you all enjoyed and please review to tell me what you thought. :)**

**Utoris Son of Gaia: **Haha thankyou so much, I'm glad you enjoy them. :)

**xRinneandSharinx: **Shits always about to hit the fan with Percy. Thank you for the review hope you enjoy this chapter.

**monkeybaby: **thankyou so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter

**Urethane: **thank you so much. I hope I finish this story as well. :)

**banesith777: **Cheers, hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**Ronnie R15: **That is actually a brilliant idea that I'm going to think over, I originally wasn't going to have her leave but now I'm rethinking it. I was going to use the whole guilt thing to build the Pertamis relationship around though, because I can't really see another way around to build the relationship between them. Thank you for the review and suggestions, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**Jelly Pie: **Hahaha sorry for the long wait I suddenly became extremely popular these past few weeks. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. :)

**ChaoticMathFreak: **Its cool mate, I know the pain of a low battery. I'm looking forward to the Pertamis part too, but it's going to be a while :/

**Bambino01: **Thank you so much hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Guest: **Sorry I made you wait a million years. Hope you enjoyed the chapter though :)

**fantomfaire: **Wow thank you so much, I'm so glad you are enjoying it so far :)

**Jilly Jelly: **Thank you so much, my ego has been officially boosted. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**GO PERICO: **Mwahahaha I do what I want hahaha. I mean who says he is going to be immortal *shifty eyes*

**Thanks again all who reviewed muchly appreciated. :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey ya guys! So I decided to go ahead and write this chapter up immediately, mostly because I was bored. **

**Anyway thank you everyone who has reviewed/Favourited and Followed this story, seriously guys I really appreciate it. **

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

A sudden wave of anxiety and annoyance brushes over Percy like a paint brush marking colours on a canvas, making his skin feel as if it is both boiling and freezing at the same time.

It's a weird phenomenon that he remembers reading about in his Health Class at Goode, a panic attack. It was one of those things Percy had never really had the pleasure of having despite the countless times he had been at deaths doors both metaphorically and literally. He had come close once when he was trapped down in Tartarus with Annabeth, in fact up until this very moment he had believed that it had been a panic attack. But this feeling of dread that was currently running up and down his spine seemed to tell him that what he had suffered in the pit was not a panic attack.

What he felt in Tartarus was more of a hopelessness then a panic. It was a feeling deep in his soul of not being able to continue on with the quest, a feeling of being trapped and alone.

Even with Annabeth right there beside him.

That hopelessness was a feeling that seemed almost like child's play compared to this current state of panic that was running rampant through his body.

Slowly, he turns to face the god in front of him, a gnawing feeling deep in his gut that screams at him to run and drop everything.

Who knows; the god, his father, may not even have seen him yet and had been calling out his name for the past few hours at random intervals in the hopes of an answer from the demigod.

_Like some sick game of hide and seek._ He thinks to himself with a frown, because in the reality of the situation that is all this really is.

The rational part of his brain tells him that he is being stupid and that the god has seen him and is expecting some kind of short apology for running off into the world without telling anyone.

"Perseus." The voice says again, this time a lot closer than Percy was expecting. Rather it sounds like the god is standing right behind him rather than around the back of the warehouse in the shadows. Playing cool and calm, unlike the choppy ocean around them.

"Percy." He mutters slowly turning around to face the sea god.

Poseidon stands tall in front of him, well a little taller. It seems that over the past few months since the Titan war that Percy has grown and almost shot up to his father's preferred mortal height. Poseidon must have noticed this because Percy swears that the god grows an extra inch within a second of Percy turning around.

Percy doesn't know what he should say if he should just play clueless and say; _'Oh hey dad, fancy seeing you here. What am I doing in a creepy warehouse? Well I figured I would just brush up on some survival skills in the city. You know, sleeping in abandoned warehouse, penny handling, dumpster diving, the usual stuff.'_

Or just act how it really is and go along with the god despite his best wishes, _'Oh well.'_ He could say with a shrug. _'Looks like you found me. Come on dad let's hold hands and skip all the way to Olympus together. Just like the good old times.'_

Except there weren't any 'good old times' and Percy doubts the two would skip all the way up towards Olympus.

He can't even imagine Poseidon skipping.

With both ideas sounding weird, Percy instead stays quiet and stares up at the god with as blank of a face as he can.

He has a feeling he looks like he has seen a ghost.

He wonders briefly what Lupa, the wolf goddess who briefly took him in after Hera's mind wipe, would do to him if he came up to her looking as pale as a ghost and absolutely terrified. He doesn't need to guess that she would be just about ready to feed him to her wolves, because he knows she would she wouldn't even have any guilt for it either.

New and Old Rome was a place that only the strongest could survive in.

Poseidon seems to guess Percy's inner turmoil because his hard face seems to soften, however it is only slightly. So know instead of looking pissed off, he looks only slightly pissed off.

Really there is not much of a difference between the two, never the less Percy takes the minute change as a good thing.

"Percy." He says a little softer and moves towards the frozen son of Poseidon. Percy is silent, watching the god carefully. He isn't ready to physically fight with the god, but if things go south it doesn't mean that he won't fight him. "Where have you been?" he grunts his chin jutting outward.

How should Percy even respond to that?

"Uh, just wandering around New York." He says his hands in his pocket in a move that shows he is relaxed. But his hand grips his weapon hidden in his pocket and he is ready to pull out Riptide and fight if he needs to. Poseidon seems to notice the boy's offensive move. The god's stance shifts slightly. "Just getting to know the area again, you know after everything that happened."

Poseidon grimaces a little and rubs the back of his neck in slow soothing circles. He wonders what the god is thinking about, what his next move might be. If he will attack or play pretend with him for a little while longer.

Percy kind of hopes for the pretend.

"See." He says after a moment of silence. "Even got myself a souvenir." He gestures to the hat that sits atop his head with a fake sort of enthusiasm.

"Hmm." Poseidon mutters, taking a long glance around the warehouse.

Percy suddenly feels as if he should have tidied the place up, like maybe swept the floor or perhaps turning all upturned furniture back upright and maybe into more of a Feng Shui refuge.

However he figures that even if he did do all of that, which let's face it would be a Hades of a lot of work, the old broken down warehouse would still look like an old broken down warehouse and there was quite possibly nothing he could even do about it that would change it.

The anxiety that had been building in Percy slowly begins to dissipate as a calming breeze blows in from the still open door, the salt water pulling him into a relaxing state as Poseidon continues to look around the warehouse with a look of distaste and curiosity.

"What are you doing here?" Percy suddenly asks. He is still going with the whole innocent theme.

A theme his sea green eyes don't seem to understand as they give off a stormy appearance that Poseidon recognises almost immediately as he looks back at his son.

The air around the pair changes into one of suspicion.

It seems however that Poseidon is also quite curious of his son and not just the warehouse as he continues to toy with the boy. "I wanted to see my son."

He gives Percy a sly look, his legs locking into place preparing for an offensive attack from the demigod.

Percy doesn't notice and nods his head slowly. What would he have said if he didn't know his father's true purpose. Would he have smiled? Hugged him? he doesn't know what he would have done because all he can think of is finding a way to escape, a way that seems just about impossible, well at least without some sort of fight, but even then the chances of him getting out of this is slim to none.

It would be a fight that could very well kill or incapacitate him.

The top half of his back shivers uncomfortably.

"Well," he starts trying to calm down, his body however, has other ideas and begins to tremble slightly. "Here I am." He spreads his arms out wide as if telling the god to take a good look at him before he disappears for good.

Who knows maybe he just might disappear for good.

_No._ He thinks to himself, careful not to show any of his inner turmoil. _Hestia promised this wouldn't last forever. _

Poseidon smiles slightly and Percy is suddenly hopeful that his father has no idea of what he is thinking. Well that is until he looks into Percy's eyes, and when he looks in Percy's eyes, he looks in Percy's eyes and suddenly Percy is fully aware of what his father really is.

He is the sea, the trembling of an earthquake, the beating heart of a horse.

A god.

A god that has killed and cursed mortals like him.

A god that _could_ curse and kill him.

Percy's chest feels heavy as if Hannibal the elephant has decided that his chest would make a comfortable beanbag.

"Yes." Poseidon says with a slight upturn of the lips. He turns around suddenly his back to Percy.

Percy if he recounts on the moment at a later date realises that this was the window of opportunity he should have taken to escape the warehouse, perhaps even the city.

Instead he stands tall and watches the god in front of him.

The room suddenly starts to grow stuffy like Percy is being suffocated by fluffy blanket.

"Let's cut the crap." Percy says suddenly, his voice rough and hoarse from the previous suffocation by fluffy blanket. His arms fold over his chest and suddenly Percy feels as if he is far more powerful than his father, despite the fact that he knows the truth. There is no way in Hades he could be more powerful than his father. "What are you really doing here, _dad_?"

It's said in a cutting way, a way that Percy can see hurts Poseidon deeply.

Percy almost feels regretful and sorry for the god, but brushes it away quickly. After all it is partly Poseidon's fault. And by partly he means 1/12 of his fault.

Poseidon's face grows stony, a face Percy has never seen on the sea gods face, well directed at him anyway and not on a statue or at some kind of shrine.

The wind outside starts to howl, he can feel the waves moving roughly as if he is standing waist deep in the ocean. It's a feeling that can be both comforting and dread filling.

"You know why I'm here." His voice is gruff, the sound Percy had often heard from smelly Gabe whenever he did something he shouldn't have been doing.

_Like everything._ Percy thinks remembering his old step-father.

Percy sneers at him, his body shaking, this time out of anger rather than anxiety and fear.

"No."

Poseidon lets out a loud sigh and folds his arms across his chest giving Percy a look that almost seems to comical for his own good. Honestly Percy is not able to take the god seriously when he looks at him like that, he almost looks… fatherly.

Well like a stereotypical modern day sitcom father anyway.

Percy is only able to tell the god is angry from the loud outspoken wind that rattles the building to the very core, Percy starts to shiver slightly.

He half expects the god to sit him down and have a good old fashion talk to him about school and life and how even he found being a teenager difficult.

Except well Poseidon was preparing to overrule his titan of a father and ruling the seas when he was still a teenager. Percy's two wars almost seemed like child's play when he put the two and two together.

"Percy." His voice is careful, controlled. Percy can sense the anger being kept at bay.

"Poseidon." Percy replies his voice a horribly sad attempt at mimicking his fathers.

Poseidon takes no notice of Percy's outburst of smartarse and instead looks back down at his favourite with a look of distrust and annoyance.

Percy realises that he doesn't like to disappoint the god. He looks down at his feet, ashamed at himself.

"I need you to come with me."

The shame disappears almost immediately, a frown marring his features. He looks up towards the god, because he is just that a god, not his father.

Not a creature or a man who cares deeply for a child, someone that would do anything and everything for their child's happiness.

For their child to succeed in the world.

No he is quite simply a god, someone who is both jealous and possessive.

Possessive enough of their own child that they will not allow them a life that is rightly theirs, a life of their own choosing.

Poseidon was not a true father, not like Paul.

Yes Poseidon cared for him and loved him, but Poseidon loved himself too much, like any other god, to care for anyone else.

Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter had hundreds of children who could attest for that.

The gods never cared for anyone but themselves.

Percy's heart starts to beat louder and louder until all he can hear is the constant sound of his blood thrumming in his ears.

It's far too late to calm him down.

"Leave." He all but growls at the god. His chest rises at least twice every second.

Poseidon doesn't move. He just watches his son with a passive face, as if the demigod doesn't scare him, Percy knows he shouldn't be concerned by that.

What god, let alone an Olympian, would be terrified of a demigod? That doesn't mean he isn't angered or annoyed by his unfear some capabilities.

"Perseus." The god says again, Percy wonders if the god has some form of brain damage.

_That's my name, don't wear it out- no wait it's too late. It's worn out._

"You're coming with me." He says this time, his voice harsher.

Percy thinks a ship somewhere has just been pushed into some rocky shores and sunk into the abyss.

His hand reaches out towards Percy about to grip onto his forearm. Percy only just manages to yank his arm away before the god could wrap his fingers around his skin.

"STOP!" He howls a large wave reaches up off the dock, practically knocking one of the walls down.

His new hat flies off his head. If Percy wasn't mentally preparing himself for a fight with his father he would have been concerned about his hat hair.

Poseidon only just manages to stop the wave from demolishing the dock they stand on. He does it without even breaking a sweat, as if he is trying to show Percy all that he can do if he becomes a god.

Percy's outburst of anger almost exhausting the young man.

Who knew that all the sleepless nights that he has spent mulling over his future could have such a horrible effect on his mental and physical state.

"I don't want this." He shouts, his throat starts to ache as he glares at the god. "Why can't you leave me alone." He howls again his eyes shut as tears start to pool around the lower rims of his eyes.

It's all starting to get a bit much and it has only been three days. He can't imagine many more days like this.

Poseidon is somewhat stone faced, acting as if Percy is the least interesting thing on the planet.

"Perseus. It's your destiny."

Percy is silent for a moment, his face in a permanent sneer. He is suddenly aware of how Clarisse's face must feel as his cheeks begin to burn and ache. On the plus side it makes it easier to focus in on objects.

"I have had enough of destiny." He growls back to the god, Riptide held tight in his fist, ready to unleash the sword at a moment's notice.

Poseidon stares at his son, his form shimmers slightly. Percy can see the pearly armour shine through before he is suddenly dressed back in his Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirt.

Percy's nerves begin to kick into hyper drive.

He feels like a scared little boy, like he has accidently spilt his juice on the good carpet and his father is about to curse and shout at him before sending him into his room, this time however his father will probably send him to Hades before bringing him back and the turn him into a god.

_A little toy for the Olympians to use and abuse._

He growls, suddenly feeling taller than his 6 foot frame.

"I make my own destiny." He growls ripping riptide out of his pocket, he unsheathes it with a metallic clang.

A look of sadness and anger crosses over Poseidon's features. He shakes his head slowly looking at his son before his form shifts once again.

Percy looks away just in time, it would be a little embarrassing if he picked a fight with a god only to lose before the fight even began.

Before him Poseidon looks radiant, his armour a beautiful pearly shine that almost blinds Percy.

In his hand he holds a large ornate trident with a sword that dangles in a sheath strapped to his side. The sword looks a little longer then Percy's very own Riptide.

He realises that if he has any chance at winning, which let's face it he really doesn't have that much of a chance, he will have to get up close and personal with the god.

An idea that really doesn't' sound all that appealing.

"We don't have to do this Percy." Poseidon says, his eyes look sad and sorrowful but there is a deep twinkle in them a look Percy understands all too well. Poseidon may not really want to fight his son, but there is a tiny part of him that is thirsting for a fight.

Thirsting for the sound of metal on metal, for the adrenaline that only comes during a fight.

"You're right." Percy says slowly moving away from the wall, he doesn't want to be pushed up against it when it push comes to shove. "You could just let me go." He tries, he attempts to clear his head of any and all rage. It doesn't work.

"You know I can't do that."

That's when Percy lunges.

He can't hold back any longer Riptide raised high his aim is for Poseidon's right arm, the one that holds the trident.

He misses.

Poseidon dodges almost as if he was swatting a fly, the trident pointed towards Percy centimetres from Percy's throat.

He can't out fight the sea god with a simple sword, it would be like trying to fight Kronos with a rubber band.

"I don't want to hurt you." Poseidon says with a deep mumble.

Percy scoffs loudly as the two circle each other. "If you didn't want to hurt me" He says with a sneer. "You would have left me alone."

"I can't do that." Poseidon replies as he dodges another swipe of riptide.

Percy honestly feels undermined by his father's skill.

He is the best swordsman at Camp Half-Blood, perhaps even at Camp Jupiter as well, and yet here he stands in front of his father, a god not known for his fighting skills and he is unable to even land a scratch on the god.

Fighting Ares was easier than this.

Despite the fact that the only reason Ares was an easy fight was because they were standing in the ocean an area that had given him a strong advantage over his opponent.

He has a strange feeling that fighting Poseidon while standing knee deep in the water probably wouldn't do him any good however.

Percy growls and charges a move Poseidon anticipates immediately blocking the young man's blow and pushing Percy backwards.

He stumbles, almost falling flat on his arse, only just manages to right himself before he could take that final tumble. It is an impressive save, however it is a clumsy move as well.

A move that would be acceptable if it was his first time fighting and not after years of fighting and defeating monsters, titans, giants and even gods.

He growls and shakes his head, he needs to be smart about this. But he can't even think straight with anger blurring his vision.

The building rumbles around him the floor shivers and shakes beneath him, he doesn't know if he is causing it or Poseidon is, perhaps even both of them.

He tries to strike again, Poseidon is on the defensive straight away. Percy notes that Poseidon has not once lifted the trident in an attack and has instead stuck to his defensive position. Something Percy should focus on a little more as he continues his attack.

Poseidon's stance shifting with every step Percy takes. He wonders if Poseidon will ever attack him.

Percy moves forward again riptide raised once more in another aching slash, as Poseidon lifts his trident to block, a move Percy can see coming from a mile away, he quickly he shifts Riptide until it is almost flush against his body, something that Percy knows is a stupid and dangerous move that is more likely injure himself then his opponent.

He slides underneath Poseidon's raised arm and takes the god by surprise reappearing behind the god.

Riptide's tip now pressed against Poseidon's shoulder. An area that remains uncovered by the god's expensive looking mother of pearl armour.

The two stop, sensing a change within the air.

Poseidon turns around to face his son, his eyes crinkling as he looks down at the tip of the sword with apprehension.

"I don't want to hurt you." Poseidon says lowly.

Percy frowns and pushes the tip of Riptide into Poseidon's skin, ichor dribbles down his back. "Funny." Percy raises his brow. "That's my line."

Poseidon smiles dangerously and looks away from the sword and directly at Percy. "No it's not."

Poseidon moves quickly, too fast for Percy to process. The trident raises flat above Percy's head before it is brought down with a thud.

Percy drops his eyes watery and blurred his head aching with a pain that almost feels like he is swimming in the Styx again, or rather dunking his head into the cursed river.

Riptide falls out of his grasp as he falls to the ground with a loud Clang.

He calls out in pain, his hands clutching his head as he tries to assess where the pain is and just how bad it could be. It feels as if bone has broken, or rather skin has been bruised. There is a moment where he thinks he may be bleeding or even dying.

But just as the pain is there it is suddenly gone vanishing like magic.

When the pain disappears Percy takes a few silent moments to rest on the cold and hard floor, exhaustion slowly catching up to him, he is aware of Poseidon's presence looming above him, but he pays no notice to it.

He is wallowing in self-pity, and a blow to his ego.

_I can't believe I lost._

He sighs loudly trying to blink away the tears from the pain, and not from the pain of having lasted less than a week although that might be the reason he is still laying on the ground.

He swore he could have lasted longer. He was the hero of heroes, one of the most powerful demigods in existence and he only lasted 3 days running away from the gods.

There was a word for people like him. Pathetic.

Where was this massive effort to find him when Hera wiped his memories, anyway?

"Can't you just let me be normal?" Percy mutters to no one in particular.

There is a shifting above him and when he opens his eyes and looks up at his father who is staring at the head of his trident which is just centimetres from Percy's jugular. There is an uncomfortable look on his face, one that reminds Percy of his mother whenever she looks at his report card.

An idea hits him then, an idea to play on his father's emotions to make him feel guilty and let him go.

One that makes Percy also feel a little guilty, but not too much. The guy was trying to immortalise Percy, something Percy was fully against.

"Please dad." He whimpers. Percy holds back a wince at how pathetic and ridiculous he sounds. Looking up at Poseidon Percy can see that the god is thinking the exact same thing.

But the hold on the trident weakens a little, Percy can see the inner turmoil in his father's eyes.

"I don't want this." He says, Poseidon blinks back at him, the hold on the trident tightens slightly, something Percy notices, he immediately tries to back pedal. "Sally." He tries again, calling out as Poseidon starts to bend over and pick him up.

Poseidon stops and looks at Percy blankly.

"Mum needs me." Tears pool in his eyes, tears that come naturally. His mum needs him and he needs her, he has never thought or felt this way so much in his life. Without him, Sally would start to fall apart. "I can't do this to her." _Not again._

Percy looks away towards Riptide. It shimmers in the middle of the warehouse.

'CLANG!'

The sound startles Percy who almost jumps off the ground and into the trident. Except the trident isn't there anymore, instead Percy is met with open air.

He blinks once and twice looking at the empty space in an utter confusion.

"Go." Poseidon mumbles a hand covering his eyes.

Percy stares up at the god, confusion written all over his face as he tries to take in what has just happened.

He can't believe it. Can't believe that his plan has even worked.

Lying on his other side at least twenty feet away from his was Poseidon's trident.

The symbol of power looking out of place and somewhat beautiful against the ugly and dirty backdrop of the warehouse.

"Quickly." Poseidon growls, the air inside starts to grow thick with tension and frustration.

"Da-"

"They have already felt it." Poseidon grumbles turning quickly, Percy can see the trident disappear from the corner of his eye it re-materialises in Poseidon's hand. His body leans against it as if he has just taken a blow to the chest.

Percy stands slowly, blood rushing to his head he sways a little, trying to adjust to the new upright position.

"Dad." He says a little louder, Poseidon looks at him in pain. Percy doesn't know what to do or what to say. He continues to stare at his father with a frown. "Thank you, I suppose." He mutters rubbing the back of his neck.

Poseidon doesn't smile at him, he simply stares at his son.

"How did you even find me?" Percy asks, he doesn't want the god to be angry at him. He remembers when Poseidon was proud of him and he wants those times back. If he was going to completely honest the times when he knew how proud his father was of him, were quite honestly some of the happiest times in his life.

"The dream." Poseidon says standing straight. "I could feel you."

Percy nods as he picks up Riptide, capping it and pocketing the pen. "How?"

That's when Poseidon smiles, it's a sad smile, but still a smile so Percy takes it as a win. "You were in my domain, son."

_Duh Percy. _He thinks shaking his head a little.

Percy who takes the conversation as over, despite the fact that Poseidon is still standing in front of the young demigod, goes towards a small set of stairs on the warehouse floor that lead to another platform floor that he has been using as a sleep out since the destruction of the small room above him.

Granted his little nest isn't as nice, but here he is able to see everything and still manage an easy escape if need be.

"Percy." Poseidon says loudly, sounding more godlike and more authoritative then he has in the entire encounter. Percy turns towards his father, preparing for another altercation. "I'm letting you go, but that doesn't mean I don't want you to think about the opportunity that is being handed to you."

Percy frowns, he is too tired to feel any real anger. All he wants right now is a cheeseburger with extra bacon and a chocolate shake.

"I won't ever accept it." He says quickly, Poseidon looks down at his feet with a smile.

"No one wants godhood Percy." He looks back towards his son and Percy can see the sadness written all over his face. Percy remembers what he saw in the dream, what Poseidon has said about the entire matter.

'_I refuse to lose another child.'_

He looks away from his father chewing his lip as he considers everything. Percy doesn't know what losing a child would feel like, to see every child you have had with a mortal die, often after living a sad and short life and there is nothing they could do about it.

He doesn't like the idea.

"But we are the most deserving and qualified for the task. We are all victims of fate and our destiny." Poseidon continues with a sad look.

Percy thinks back on all the gods he has met and shivers at the thought. He can't exactly understand how Mr D deserved to be a god.

Poseidon walks towards Percy and places a heavy hand on Percy's shoulder. His new, New York Yankees cap appearing in the gods hand from the other side of the warehouse. Poseidon places the cap on his sons head with a fond smile. "I just want you to remember that."

Percy stares back at his father, a feint hint of disgust on his features.

Poseidon notices the look immediately, but he doesn't focus on it to much, the boy has been through enough as it is.

Something Poseidon feels immensely guilty about.

"I will try." Percy says through gritted teeth spinning around and walking towards his little nest, packing as many things into his pack as he can.

Poseidon takes one long last look at his son as he packs the bag. "Leave as soon as you can."

Percy pauses in his packing and looks down at his father. Poseidon continues. "They will send someone out. I can buy you some time, ten minutes at the most."

"How can I get out of the city?" Percy asks quickly then needing as much information he can get before his dad vanishes to gods only know where.

Poseidon smiles a little. "I can't give you all the answers."

With that Poseidon disappears in a flurry of light and a sea breeze that makes the demigod shiver in anticipation, making him far more alive and awake then he has felt in the past few days.

"Gee." Percy rolls his eyes strapping the bag to his back in one lazy movement. "Thanks for the help."

Percy fishes the phone out of his pocket and sends a quick text message to Rachel.

_Thank you for everything RED. _

_Tell Annabeth I love her, I will see you all when this blows over –Percy._

**Okay so I hope you all enjoyed, the whole confrontation with Poseidon was supposed to be around 2000 words long, not over 5000 so whoops.**

**Hope you all enjoyed and don't forget to review :)**

**banesith777: **Cheers man I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter. :)

**monkeybaby: **haha thankyou so much, I really appreciate that you enjoy my humour, hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

**NicercyPerico: **Hey thanks so much, I really appreciate that so much. :)

**xRinneandSharinx: **Little bit of both I suppose, sadly more talk than fight seeing as I'm not so great at the fighting. But I am learning. Thank you for the review. :)

**Ronnie R15: **Thank you so much for the review and reading this story. :)

**rockingzeus: **Was this fast enough? I really don't want to be struck by lightning my hair is wild and crazy enough as it is. *Fidgets nervously*

**Talesof tails: **I will and I'm really glad you are enjoying it so far :)

**FlyingPigs: **Gah and I was so sure I had edited out all the spelling errors. My bad I get a bit excited when I finish a chapter and I get really keen to post them so I often have spelling errors. Thank you so much for the review and I'm so happy you enjoy my stories that really makes me incredibly happy. :)

**StarofFeanor: **Cheers man, I really appreciate it. :)

**bambino01: **Hahahaha I bet you're wrong ;) Thank you for reviewing hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**fantomfaire: **Turns out you didn't have to wait so long for the next chapter. :) hope you enjoyed it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Yes so that was a ridiculously ridiculous wait for this chapter but things keep coming up, one of them being my health as well as my total writers block. Do you know how long I had the first sentence saved to this chapter for almost 20 days, until finally I decided to haul ass and type this thing out.**

**Just want to absolutely thank each and every one of you guys for reading this, seriously means a hell of a lot, especially to all those who have reviewed/followed/favourited and all that jazz. So kudos to you guys.**

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**Any way I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

Leaving New York City had been a lot easier than Percy had anticipated.

Granted Percy did run into trouble when he walked around a corner and had caught the overwhelming stench of O-Zone lingering in the air. However despite his quickening heartbeat, sweaty palms and shaking body Percy had managed to completely avoid the King of the gods.

Well at least he thought he had avoided the god, because while Percy could smell the O-Zone he couldn't actually see the god anywhere, then again he wasn't exactly keen on the idea of trying to lay eyes on the quite obviously angry god just to prove that his nose and paranoid mind where right.

But after that little conundrum he had run the rest of the way. His eyes lowered and his ears perked up for any sort of information or warning he could get without giving himself away too much, never mind the fact that a random kid with a baseball cap covering his head running through the streets of New York without any care on who or what he ran into was a little bit suspicious to the mortals. Old women saw him and clutched their bags a little tighter giving him a wide berth of movement around them.

But apart from that leaving the city had been as easy as duelling with Clarisse, not that he would ever tell her that in person of course. If she ever asked he would tell her that she was the most difficult duelling partner ever, of course she was difficult just not with a weapon.

Rather it was once he had safely crossed the George Washington Bridge and was standing right outside the Fort Lee Historic Park and museum that he ran into trouble.

Actually it wasn't just 'trouble'. It was more like a group of trouble.

Yes. A group of silver parka wearing teenage girls that hated anything and everything to do with the Y chromosome.

The Hunters of Artemis.

"Shoot!" he hisses as softly as he can, something that is anything but quiet because as he says it a young girl around twelve stands immediately from her squatting position beside her bag. Her brown eyes scan the area looking for the cause of the disturbance.

Percy reacts quickly however, suddenly proud of all the painstaking hours of honing his already existing battle reflexes.

The girl doesn't notice him. She shrugs her small shoulders and continues her packing with a frown, he can tell she is a newbie. Most of them are since the Giant war.

He grimaces at the thought.

Sure he had never exactly gotten on with the hunters but they were still people, still allies to the causes he had fought in. If anything they were the best allies someone could get, including the Amazons.

"Jamie." An oh-so familiar voice calls out. Percy jumps in surprise before poking his head slightly out to the side. Thalia. "I thought I asked you to help Bree with the medical tent?"

Jamie for her part looks a little shocked and scared, Percy doesn't blame her fear is one of the first emotions that pop into Percy's head as soon as Thalia tells him what to do in a commanding voice like that.

Another emotion is annoyance and jealousy, all of which combine into a terribly bad emotion. One that can cause Percy's powers to almost react on their own and his head to spin from the sheer power it has over him.

That's right it was anger.

It was safe to say that sometimes Percy had terrible anger management issues that should probably be dealt with as fast as possible. But he wasn't exactly going to see a shrink about it, could you imagine; "So" she would say, because Percy can only ever imagine a middle aged woman as his shrink. "What starts these 'fits of rage'?"

"Oh" he would say as he reclined back on the expensive leather lounge while abstract paintings hung on the wall above. "Usually when a monsters tries to kill me and boil my bones for its supper."

"Hmm." Then she would write something down on her little notepad, something that Percy would guess means she thinks he is absolutely bat-shit insane. "How do you cope with these outbursts?"

"Slice the monster into tiny little pieces and hope they don't reincarnate till I die."

He shakes off his minds rambling as he watches the two slowly, halfway through the conversation it seems like the two have once again become best buds because Thalia is patting the younger girl on the back while they both laugh obnoxiously about something before the little girl wanders off towards what Percy guesses is Bree and the medical tent.

Slowly Percy can see Thalia backing up towards the tree that he is currently standing behind. A false cheery look on her face as she continues to watch the rest of the hunters pack up their little makeshift camp on the back lawns of the park.

Percy panics and looks around for a place to hide but finds nothing, well nothing without crossing the road and possibly getting hit by an oncoming vehicle or walking into plain view of the hunters and his slightly terrifying friend.

Both of which sound like absolutely terrible ideas, especially seeing as he doesn't even know if Artemis is within the camp, or worse scouting around for any stragglers, monsters or certain teenage demigods who are quite honestly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"You know" Thalia starts as her back hits the tree trunk. Percy clamps his eyes shut, hoping to all the gods that Thalia has no idea he is even there and is either talking to herself or someone hiding in the tree keeping a lookout.

Percy gulps and scans the tree he hides behind; he almost collapses to the floor in relief when he sees no sign of any hunters perched up in the tree.

"You are really terrible at spying on us." Percy hits the back of his head against the tree trunk in resignation. He looks up slowly and frowns.

"How-"he starts but is cut off by Thalia who is still standing on the other side of the tree.

"Did I know it was you?" she asks, her voice goes up an octave and Percy can tell she is smiling.

"Yeah." Is all he says as he stares out at the traffic whizzing past him, he imagines what they see as they go past the makeshift camp.

Do they see a random teenage boy talking to a tree? Do they even see the hunters? Or do they just see the park as the drive along continuing on with their everyday lives? Maybe they see a group of girl scouts trying to earn their next merit badge.

There is a long pause, one that puts Percy on edge. He counts down the seconds before she starts again.

"Well for one," Percy turns his head slightly so that he can at least catch a slight glimpse of her relaxed position against the tree, before whirling back around in case someone else catches a glimpse of the elusive demigod. "You are about as sly and subtle as Apollo."

He can't help the wince. "Jeeze. Ouch." She laughs and for a moment he smiles before suddenly remembering the seriousness of the situation he is in.

"And two, we are on the lookout." She replies softly. Percy would even say it was sadly, but if he told Thalia that she would kick him in the shins for being an idiot.

"On the lookout?" he asks with a frown, fear settles in his gut but he pushes it away focusing on his curiosity instead.

"Mmhmm." She sighs; he can hear the rustling of fabric as she shifts uncomfortably.

He can tell she is avoiding the subject. "Thalia." He tries again turning around until his chest is pressed directly up against the tree. "What do you mean by 'on the lookout'?" he shakes his head again as dread and frustration starts to form like a noxious gas taking him over. He refuses to let the emotions control him and stares at the bark on the tree in concentration.

He takes a deep and steady breath.

"I think you already know what I mean Percy."

Percy is silent as he glares at the tree. He can hear the hustle and bustle of the cars on the street behind him as well as the chatter of excited hunters as they pack up all their belongings ready for a new day in the life of the hunt.

"Artemis?"

There is an audible sigh from the other side of the tree.

"Olympus." Thalia inches around the tree until Percy can see the back of her head a little bit more clearly. He wonders if she has moved that way because he was easily seen by one of the hunters with sharp eyes. "Apparently," she starts with a head shake that screams annoyance. "There was a disturbance this morning on some dock somewhere and she was the closest god."

"Closest god?" Percy questions, last time he checked he was 99.9% sure gods could magically teleport anywhere they wanted and at any time. "Can't they use their godly power to teleport?" he questions her.

Thalia scoffs in reply, he can tell that she has her arms folded as she watches her wards in the park. "Yeah but gods are awfully busy. They can't just drop their duties and teleport their godly arses to where ever the hell you are causing trouble at."

Smiling fondly he starts to pick at the tree in front of him, his finger burying itself into a tiny hole created by some form of insect, or perhaps it was where a branch had once sat, whatever caused this tiny little hole Percy is invested in playing with it while he sorts his mess of a life out.

"What about Annie?"

The question burns him more than it probably should, it was the question that had plagued his mind for the past few days since he left camp. Really it's a question he doesn't want to delve too far into, he already has enough to deal with he doesn't need the repercussions of running away from his beautiful girlfriend to add onto his already stacked plate.

His head hits the tree softly with a barely audible thud.

"Uh." He starts carefully, his eyes begin to water just a little as he remembers her calling out for him. They had promised to never leave each other's sides again. And what had he done? He had left her.

He was the worst boyfriend in the history of boyfriends.

"I don't know." He sighs out his neck cranes upwards until his chin is lying as flat as it can on the tree. The bark scratches against his slightly stubbled chin.

He can practically hear the gears turning in Thalia's head as she processes everything, he doesn't want to know about the angry remarks he can imagine her thinking about him.

Because while he and Thalia were close friends, best friends even, she was closer to Annabeth.

They were more like sisters if anything. Like twin sisters sometimes, it could get a little creepy.

It was a bond that Percy doesn't even think he has ever had, well except with Annabeth and Grover. There were times when Percy had even felt envious of the two's relationship. Whenever they met up for burgers or once a coffee, which was an experience they will never repeat again, Percy had often taken up the position of feeling like the third wheel as the two talked about their lives and how annoying boys could be.

Percy had often tried not to be offended with some of the stuff that they had said about his gender.

"What?" Annabeth had laughed as he had tried and failed multiple times to hale down a taxi. "You have to admit boys can be annoying."

Percy scrunched his eyebrows as he watched an older man hale a taxi down in one go, how people could be so good at such a simple and yet difficult task was beyond his comprehension. "I hope you have at least one exception to that rule." He remarks giving up on waving his hands.

He was starting to feel like a man stranded on a lonely island waiting for a ship or a plane to take him back to civilisation.

Annabeth looks thoughtful for a moment before throwing out a hand and whistling. Immediately a cab rushes to them, she opens the door with a wry smile that has Percy's gut start to flutter with millions of tiny little butterflies.

"Actually," she starts biting her lip and looking back at him, the cabbie honks his horn. "Will isn't such a bad guy." With a smile she hops into the cab, Percy almost chases her in.

That night he had made a promise to himself that he would never let her go without a fight.

Thalia turns around then, she doesn't look at him, instead her eyes are placed on the bridge, she watches cars drive past with an intent that could be really terrifying, if her eyes didn't look so frightened.

"Percy." She says her eyes quickly moving to his, slowly he steps back from the tree. "I don't know what you did to cause this man hunt." He opens his mouth to retort but is silenced by a singular raised finger just shy of his nose. "But whatever it was, don't bring Annabeth into this."

The son of Poseidon frowns and glares towards the ground below him. "As if I would put her in danger." He grunts out looking back up at her, she is no longer looking at him and is instead once again focused on the road behind them.

"No." she sighs again leaning closer towards the tree until her entire right side is flush against the tree, her legs cross. "You would never do it intentionally." Her hand flicks up to push a strand of hair behind her ear.

She almost looks too relaxed, as if she is lying to him about how serious the situation is, he words say one thing but her body language says something completely different. He wonders if it is because of the hunters behind her, possibly watching her, seeing what she is doing.

He realises then that this is not only affecting him but also his friends. The gods know how close he is to them, they know that he would do anything to protect them.

Are they using them as bait to lure Percy in? Are some of them spying on him reporting information back just to get in their good graces?

Percy doesn't know but suddenly he is looking at Thalia in a new light.

Is she really going to help him? Even if it is to simply get away from the huntresses without them knowing, he gives her a sideway glance, one that she doesn't seem to notice.

Her features change suddenly, Percy moves away from the tree preparing to attempt an out run if she warns him about impending danger i.e. a certain man hating goddess or even the slight chance that she is about to tackle and possibly detain him for further questioning.

He knows that he would have a pretty slim chance of escaping if he was going up against Thalia.

"What did you do anyway?" her eyes move towards him suddenly, her relaxed posture changing slowly until she suddenly looks like the intimidating daughter of Zeus she is.

Percy sighs a little his shoulders slumping, glad that she is not about to send his arse two days from Sunday.

"Honestly?" he asks leaning against the tree with a frown. Thalia relaxes slightly again, he realises that she doesn't know if he is a threat or not yet. "I have no idea."

Thalia frowns and shakes her head slightly. "Then why do we have orders to find you and bring you to Olympus, or at least summon the closest god to take you to Olympus."

"You mean Artemis?" Percy asks, Thalia shakes her head quickly.

"No, recently she has been up at Olympus." She shrugs her shoulders turning until her back is against the tree. She shuffles her shoulders and muscles as if in an attempt to get a back groove in the tree. "It's almost like when Hera was taken." Percy frowns at the memory, or rather lack thereof. "It's weird."

"Hmm." Percy hums to himself as he slowly takes in as much information as he can. "Do you know what the gods are planning then?"

Thalia scoffs, loudly. Percy wonders if any of the hunters hear her, he doubts it though. He can barely hear himself speak over the honking horns and rumbling engines just a few feet away from them. "Like I can tell you." She laughs, Percy notes there seems to be no humour in it. "You may as well be public enemy number 1."

"Great." Percy mutters to himself. "You know I'm not the bad guy in this." He states a familiar bubbling feeling in his gut warning him of his rising temper.

"Yeah." Thalia says "You're probably not, but until the gods say otherwise, guess who is going to be hunted down by any and all creatures who are trying to gain favour with the gods."

She laughs suddenly, it's loud and sounds almost like a squawk.

Percy jumps in fright before realising she had laughed and not used some elaborate bird call to signal the hunters that Percy was near them and that they should all bring out their sharpest weapons to chase him down. Percy covers a hand over his mouth to stop the laughter from escaping.

"Sorry." She says suddenly, there is a hint of mirth still in twined in her voice as she tries to compose herself only to break down in another fit of giggles.

Percy has never seen this side of Thalia, he wonders if she is drunk.

"What in Hades was that?" he asks with an opened mouth grin. He can't see Thalia to know that she is trying to compose herself.

"I'm sorry," she tries again. "It's just that-" she breaks out into another wave of laughter that has Percy both cautious and entertained. He hopes the hunters only think that Thalia has finally lost it from the pressure of leading the hunters around for the past few months. "Imagine if you were given to one of the goddesses as a marriage proposal."

"What?" He asks completely shocked and confused as to what is so funny about that.

Two scenarios run through his mind, both as unappealing as they sound.

She laughs again, Percy is pretty sure she has never really seen her this entertained by something, well except when Annabeth and Thalia were talking about some past memory at some family restaurant owned by an elderly couple who baked their own pie.

He never understood what was so funny about that story, no matter how many times the two repeated it to him. He would always go into default mode when they finished gushing about it, he would smile nod his head and throw out an odd laugh saying; 'That's really funny.'

They never seemed to get the hint that he didn't find the story funny because all of the best parts where drowned out by their own laughter as they repeated it over and over again.

"Imagine if a Cyclops wanted to marry- let's say Athena for example-" Percy scrunches up his nose in disgust, he can't imagine anyone finding Athena that attractive. "So they found you and took you to her in hopes that she would drop her maiden vow and marry him." she laughs again slapping her knee. "Gods." She sighs wiping her eye with the back of her hand. "That would be brilliant."

"Ye-"

"Thalia?" A voice asks interrupting a stunned Percy who practically tries to meld himself into the tree behind him so that the hunter won't see him.

'_See the tree, feel the tree, be the tree.'_ He thinks to himself as he suddenly wishes he was a thin little pancake.

"Yes." Thalia asks, her voice is rough and authorative, like she is about to tell someone to leave her alone if they wanted to live. "What do you want Asia?"

There is no doubting that she is a daughter of Zeus when she talks like that.

"Uh? I just wanted to know if you were okay." Percy almost slaps his face, because yes of course someone would notice Thalia's sudden out bursts of hysteria.

"Yes." She answers quickly, too quickly Percy notices with a frown, someone is bound to notice how suspicious she sounds. He just hopes that someone is not the girl currently asking about her leader's mental stability. "Why wouldn't I be?"

The girl is silent for a moment, alarm bells ring in Percy's ears as he tries to think of the best way to run if he is seen. At the moment he has two options; 1. Run, run as fast and as far as he can right now. Or 2. Wait it out, sit tight wait for her to walk away and then leave in the slyest way he can.

He vouches for option 2 and stays as still and as silent as he possibly can.

"No reason." The girl mutters, they are silent again. Percy has a moment where he starts to rethink his options, just as he is about to run the way he came there is the sound of retreating footfalls and a sigh that sounds and awful lot like Thalia's.

"She's gone." Thalia mutters to him.

"Thank the gods." Percy lets out a breath he didn't realise he had been holding in. "I think I should go to." He grunts removing himself from the tree, a splinter digs into his skin through his shirt.

"Yeah." Thalia replies. "Boy, am I getting some weird looks though." She says through gritted teeth, quickly she turns back around until she is facing the road again, her eyes move over towards Percy's with a sly grin.

"You have to admit though." She says with an air of confidence. "That would be pretty funny."

Percy grimaces. "No." he replies back to her with a raised brow. "It really wouldn't."

Thalia smiles slightly. "Yeah, funny for me. Not you." She shakes her head and looks back at the road. "For you it would suck, pretty badly."

The two are silent for a moment, Percy doesn't want to leave Thalia right now. He has already left everyone else behind, leaving Thalia, even though their run in was one of complete chance, feels as if it could be the straw to break the camel's back.

"Is it true?" Thalia asks suddenly, her voice cuts through the air like a knife cutting through a cake.

"Is what true?"

"The reason you are running?"

Percy turns his body fully to look at her. "I thought you didn't know what I did?" he questions her with a frown.

Thalia raises and eye brow a flicks her hand out to shut him up. "I've heard rumours."

"Rumours?" he asks quickly, he is putting off leaving and she is putting him of leaving. Something he hopes she is doing because she will miss him and not because this is a distraction.

"Yeah." She says quickly looking back at him with a frown. "Like you leaving because you got some other girl pregnant, starting a war on Olympus between Athena and Poseidon, making the gods want a trial to condemn your immortal soul." Percy frowns and looks up at her with a look of pure disgust.

"I know." She says with a smile. "That was my exact reaction."

"And you're asking if that's true?" he hopes she doesn't think it's true, he can't imagine cheating on Annabeth and he can't imagine what Thalia would do if she thought he was cheating on Annabeth, he can't even imagine what Annabeth would do to him if he cheated on her.

He personally would much rather spend a month in Tartarus.

"Gods no." she says with an expression Annabeth had once used on him, usually when he asked for obvious answers. "I can't imagine you even thinking of cheating on Annabeth."

"Well," Percy replies with a roll of his eyes. "Then we are back with my earlier question. Aren't we pinecone face."

She gives him a short glare before looking down at her hands. She looks back up at him quickly, her face a blank canvas. "Are they trying to force you into godhood."

Percy chews his lip for a moment before reluctantly nodding his head.

The sun clips Percy's back for a brief moment before it is once again swallowed by thunderous clouds that swirl above them, the same clouds that have been appearing on and off again for the past week, the only change in the weather is that while the wind and rain has halted off a bit there is still an angry and foreboding element to the air that any and all demigods know is because Zeus is royally pissed off.

He misses the warmth of the sun and wishes that everything was like it was this morning, before his unfortunate run in with Poseidon, his godly father who was both with and against him at this present moment. It was something that confused, comforted and irked Percy to no extent.

But at least he had a firm grasp on where his father had seemed to stand on all this, well as firm a grasp as he could on understanding the lord of the seas.

"What?" Thalia hisses at him, her eyes are a blaze with murderous intentions.

Percy knows if there is one person who can rival him in the anger department it is probably Thalia with Nico and Annabeth a close second and third. And that wasn't including any godly beings.

He figures that Clarisse and most of her half siblings didn't count, their main emotion was anger and after a while you would get used to their anger.

Even kind and loving Hestia could probably beat them in the angry department if the gods were included.

Percy figures that anger issues and godhood kind of go hand in hand.

'_Hey maybe that's why they are going to force you to become a god?'_

"How could they even sugg-" Thalia throws a hand up and forces her eyes to close, she is trying to calm herself down. Percy had attempted that very technique when he was angry a few times. He always found the movement to be calming. But he also could grow quickly irritated from it and would end up madder than before.

Slowly her eyes open again and she stares at him, she looks a lot calmer, well except for the storm that is circling in her eyes. The blue clouds swirl around her pupils like a whirl pool.

"They have crossed a line."

"You're telling me." He replies with a slight frown. The sun is out again, shinning like a spot light onto him, he basks in the glow, then as quickly as the sun is there it is gone again, swallowed whole by clouds.

"I mean," Thalia starts off with an open and honest expression, one he rarely ever sees on her face. "Yeah godhood, that would be pretty cool."

"Aren't you already like a god?" Percy interrupts her musings, Thalia almost looks shocked and Percy wonders if she was really talking to him or herself.

"What?" she frowns shaking her head. "No. I'm a huntress, kind of have the immortality, just no awesome powers that go along with it."

"Aren't you guys like suddenly expert hunters when you sign up?"

"Yeah," she mutters a little looking down at her shoes, she kicks a rock and Percy watches it almost fly out onto the road, it just misses hitting an expensive looking car that Percy really wants because it's pretty and shiny. She looks back at him and Percy can see conflict on her face. "But they aren't my _own _powers."

"What do you mean?" he questions, peeling his eyes off the beautiful red car that drives off and out of eye sight.

"I mean what is so special about a girl who has the same abilities as all the other girls she lives with." She frowns again. "I almost feel normal."

"I wish I was normal." Percy mutters with a smile.

He wouldn't be in this mess if he was normal.

"I don't."

Percy is shocked, confused even. He has never heard a demigod say that. Everyone he had ever talked to about it had often wished and prayed that they were normal, that they weren't born with a target over their heads that screamed at monsters to eat them, that they weren't used as pawns in gods, titans and even primordial's plans and most of all they wished they were normal so that they could raise a family.

Once Percy had walked into the stables to find Silena and Beckendorf talking about baby names, there was sadness in the air. Like they both knew they were never going to make it, three weeks later Beckendorf and Percy had gone onto their fateful mission to destroy Kronos' enemy transport the Princess Andromeda.

Percy never knew what that sadness was until he and Annabeth had a very similar conversation, they had lasted a total of three minutes before Annabeth had to excuse herself, Percy didn't blame her he would have only lasted another ten seconds before he would do the same.

That's why New Rome was so exciting for not just him but for Annabeth and all the other campers as well. It offered a safe haven. One that could give them a future, a future filled with a career, friends and most importantly family.

Percy gives her a strange look, she smiles a little before staring up at the sky. The sun once again starts to poke out from the clouds. Thalia gives it a strange look before shrugging it off.

"I like being different." She says with a smile. "I mean think of all the things we would miss out on if we were normal?" Percy is tempted to ask why missing out on being a hell hound chew toy is a bad thing. But he bites his tongue. "I would never have met Annabeth, Grover, you, Hades even Luke. I would have probably become the next Lindsey Lohan and Jason would probably be the next Justin Bieber." Thalia shivers a little.

"Jason can sing?" Percy asks, Thalia shoots him a pointed glance.

"The point is I would not be the person I am today." She smiles a little and looks back up towards the cloudy sky. "I mean all the things I have seen, the places I've been, the people I have met, Hades even the wars that I have fought in." she raises her hands a little and looks back out along the horizon with a smile, her mouth open as if she is at a loss for words. "I wouldn't be me would I?" she looks back at Percy with a smile.

"Don't get me wrong." Percy starts with a frown. "I mean I love the person I am, it's just imagine all the people who wouldn't have been in danger because of me."

Thalia gives him a condescending look. "But then imagine all the people who would have died because you were normal and not you."

"Nico would have done a fine job with the prophecy."

Thalia shakes her head and kicks another rock. "Nico only learnt to be the better man because of you. Without you, who knows he could have fallen for Kronos' ploys."

"No he wouldn-"

"He would, Percy." Thalia interrupts with a raised brow and warning in her voice. "His flaw would have gotten to him. He would have watched the world burn for what happened to his sister."

Percy is silent for a moment as he watches Thalia.

"I mean don't get me wrong." She states almost absentmindedly. "I do like Nico, for a death brain, he is a nice guy."

"Yeah." Percy starts rolling his eyes. "I can feel the love flowing off you."

"Funny water boy."

"You know what else is funny?" A voice says from behind Percy.

The blood starts to drain from the Son of Poseidon's face.

'_A funny prank that involves one of Thalia's friends impersonating a goddess and not said certain goddess' _

"Fudge." Thalia mutters from beside him as she pokes her head out from the other side of the tree.

Percy swallows a lump of saliva that has been sitting in his throat before slowly turning towards the goddess with a frown.

Artemis gives him a glare that is enough to melt Percy's face off.

"You have to admit." Percy says suddenly finding his sass, it was hidden inside his courage. "Almost a week on the run. That's pretty good right?"

Percy doesn't see the elbow that flies towards his face.

**BUSTED! **

**Anyway thank you all for reading, please don't forget to review, I love reviews that make me ridiculously happy. :) **

**AgitatedDog9288, Torrent14, StarOfFeanor, Sauara, Lock on Lockon, Guest, KitkatMoon, Fantomfaire, AmeliaJane14, Bambino01, Monkeybaby, Jilly Jelly: **Thank you all for reviewing really sorry you had to wait so long for the next chapter but I really hope you enjoyed it. :)

**Cooolierz: **Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Yeah I tend to write Percy a bit soft but throughout the next few chapters you will see him just becoming a lot tougher physically, mentally and emotionally I'm just trying to lay down a few things first before I rush too far into that though. :)

**MassDragonbornEffect: **Thank you so much I really appreciate it because I'm trying really hard to make this an interesting story. :)

**Heilergott: **Oh no, really sorry you aren't enjoying the story that much. I can't really say much on when he does get caught though I can say it will be a while. Also by most of the gods I mean most of them, as in gods and goddesses but don't worry I'm keeping it semi cannon, which is to say Percy is very much straight in this fic. :)

**Guest5: **First off; longest review I have ever received and I kinda liked it, secondly YOU HAVE JUST GIVEN ME SO MANY BRILLIANT IDEAS AND I THINK I LOVE YOU FOR IT! Anyway back to the review I completely agree with what you are saying, personally I hate it when people have Annabeth cheat on Percy, like while I don't write Percabeth doesn't mean I don't ship it, anyway I'm taking all of your ideas into consideration for this fic, so seriously thankyou so much. :)

**Lady Knight of Masbolle: **I can't say too much on that (mostly because I completely forgot that they still had the empathy link :/ my bad.) But now that you have graciously reminded me of that I will be writing it into the story as one of the many plot twists. Thank you for reviewing :)

**Drust: **Yeah the first chapters will be Percy running because I plan on making this a massive fic, with at least four different plot lines in it, but thank you for reviewing and I will try to take out most of the running. :)

**FlyingPigs: **HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR THE 16TH! Also thank you for reviewing and yes most of the gods will have a crush on Percy :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Hiya guys. Sorry about that cliff hanger and sorry about this chapter because it's going to keep that cliff-hanger going because I love to torture you all :)**

**I just want to thank you all for reading/reviewing/favouriting/following this story, it means a hell of a lot to me.**

**Anyway this is an extremely IMPORTANT NOTE: This story doesn't exactly coincide with Blood of Olympus, because the first few chapters were written before the book came out so as you can guess most of what happens in this chapter doesn't happen in canon. The only reason I am continuing with most of this is because it is written in the first chapter and I'm going to keep going with what I have written, obviously, otherwise this story will make no sense.**

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Eventual Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**Any way I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

"No." Malcolm says with a frown that speaks more volumes than it probably should.

Annabeth stares down at the plans with a concentrated look.

She doesn't understand what he is saying, how could he even say 'No.' the plans are absolutely perfect and had taken Annabeth a lot of time to draw up and even making it look somewhat presentable for her brother. Time that could have been spent doing better things; like searching for her missing boyfriend and starting a revolution against the gods.

'_Careful.'_ Her mind warns her as she ponders over her newest masterpiece. _'You could end up back in Tartarus for thinking things like that.'_

"Why?" she asks leaning in closer towards the large piece of drafting paper.

Her bleary and tired eyes glare down at a coffee stain; it's in a perfect ring shape and almost looks like it was stamped onto the paper to make it look more 'hipster' or 'Indy', something she has long since decided she was not. Part of her hopes that the only reason Malcolm has said 'No' was because of that one singular stain and not because the designs are terrible or that the thought behind the designs are absolutely shocking and should be thrown into the hearth as sacrilege.

'_Maybe they would run you out of camp for being a Roman sympathiser.' _

Malcolm is silent for a while; his head tilts constantly to the side over and over again as he tries to picture the building that sits in front of him.

'_This is it. He hates it.'_ She can just imagine it as a cold shame fills her. She is the best architect at camp; there is no denying it by anyone and yet your brother hates your newest design.

Architecture is something that she tries her hardest to do and truly puts her all into, something that she had always been praised for, by her friends, her father, mother, the gods and even her step mother had complimented all the sketches she had left lying around whenever she visited home.

He squints at it for a moment before looking back up at his half-sister with a smile.

"This is good." He says completely missing out the mental breakdown his sister is having because of his earlier comment. He smiles at her with a cheeriness that means he really hasn't read the mood.

Annabeth frowns and straightens her posture. She regards him coolly annoyed at his sudden cheery expression. Sometimes she wished her siblings where a bit better at emotions, she really needed someone to talk to, someone who was at least partly related to her. No one really understands children of Athena a part from children of Athena.

'_And Percy.' _She dispels that thought quickly.

She would have gone to talk to Piper about this but Piper had enough problems with her long distance relationship with Jason. She couldn't imagine Piper having to shoulder Annabeth's emotions as well as her own. The daughter of Aphrodite had enough problems already with Drew Tanaka trying to lead a revolt against Piper for the position of Cabin Counsellor.

Something Annabeth didn't fully understand because unlike children of Athena, Aphrodite's children tended to be emotional. That wasn't to say that they were always in a mood, rather sometimes they were quite good at burying strong feelings of jealousy and anger and hatred, which was all good when said, however it made the odd day of when a camper at Cabin 10 released those emotions absolutely and completely terrifying. Some of them had a meltdown that could put even Clarisse to absolute shame.

Drew was a little different however; she almost seemed like the most level headed camper. She was the most manipulative, which really isn't all that surprising, and had such a strong hold on her emotions that when she was upset she didn't blow, she seeped that anger out. She was almost like a noxious gas that spread through camp like wild fire.

It made Annabeth truly appreciate just who her mother was and what she had attributed to her children, sure she wasn't exactly the most maternal or loving goddess like Aphrodite who adored all her children, Athena treated her children like comrades. It was a respect that made Annabeth and her siblings feel wise beyond their age and actually made their cabin the least dysfunctional. They all knew their place and while fights did occur they would be solved within the hour.

"Then why did you say no?" she questions him.

Malcolm doesn't even flinch; Annabeth respects that about him, no matter how terrifying Annabeth could be Malcolm would always look at her with a friendly smile.

"Well," he starts, his voice quivers slightly and a look of uncertainty crosses his features. "The design, don't get me wrong, it's amazing. I honestly love it. Especially the Ionic columns at the entrance-"

"Then it's the whole plan." She interrupts glaring down at the drawing; she knew that she would be treated like a social pariah for even thinking this.

It wasn't a lie that ever since Percy had disappeared and Mr D had come back to camp ordering almost a complete shut down for any and all demigods allowing no one to enter the camp borders or even leave, she had thrown herself fully into the belief that maybe they didn't have to leave camp when they were older or even wait for the current 'Political' tension surrounding both Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood to ease.

Instead she had realised after a night of crying and no sleep that they could create their very own New Rome right here in Camp Half-Blood.

'_Then Percy and I can be together forever.'_

"New Athens." Annabeth had said in a brief moment of clarity.

Malcolm winces and shakes his head, standing to his full height, he may be a year and a bit younger than her but he is probably one of the tallest campers. She wouldn't be surprised if he was slightly taller than Tyson with his lanky build.

"No." he frowns shaking his head. "The idea is amazing, imagine how many generations of demigods could be saved from just this." He points to the image in front of him; it's a block of apartments that she thought would look good standing in front of the forest.

"Then what?" she growls back at him, her head starts to ache from all the caffeine she has had over the past few days and the amount of sleep that she hasn't had since the night before Percy had run away, and that night they barely got any sleep either with all the 'activities' they had been doing instead.

Malcolm for his part looks absolutely lost. "It's just," he rubs the back of his neck, something she notes Percy used to do a lot when he had to explain something difficult to her, something he didn't want to explain.

She wonders if Malcolm got that habit off Percy, maybe Percy had taken that habit from Malcolm or she was just one of those people that made people want to touch the back of their necks.

'_That made no sense?' _her mind hisses at her, she shakes her head and frowns.

'_Oh shut it you.' _

Finally Malcolm gathers his wits and sighs. "How long has it been since you last slept?" he questions a brotherly concern slips through his words and wraps around her like a cocoon.

Annabeth goes to open her mouth with a furious rebuttal, however it's useless as her mind is a traitorous wench and completely stops working. Her stomach grumbles loudly as if to say 'Brilliant it's my time to shine.'

"Like ten hours ago."

'_And two days.' _Her mind supplies finally working again, although she knows it isn't working at full capacity and probably won't until she gets some sleep.

Malcolm sighs, his somewhat rigid posture jolts as if he just found out something was shocking or he was just throwing an old fashioned tantrum. His arms raise up a little as if he was going to hug her, except the face he pulls tells her that no, he isn't going to hug her, he is trying not to hit her. Sighing again he rubs his forehead.

"I know you are lying to me." He mutters looking back up at her with concern.

Annabeth decides to put on a show, the kind of show she had once used on Percy so that he would go to his archery class instead of ditching it to swim in the ocean.

"I'm not lying." She argues however a yawn escapes her lips and lasts for an unusually long time. She throws a hand over her mouth and glares at Malcolm who is himself throwing her an accusing glare.

"Annabeth." He whines leaning against the table.

She notes how dirty that one desk is. It's her desk, one that she had claimed almost immediately on her first day. Mostly because it was the only desk that no one had really 'claimed' but also because of the smooth texture of the wood that was marked in only one space with tiny carefully carved letters;

'_Herbert was here.'_

She had asked everyone she could about who Herbert was, what happened to him and what he had done. She soon found out that Herbert had done nothing spectacular, no quests or anything, and that one day he left camp and just never returned. No one had known if he had died in an attack or if he had just given up on camp life. She liked to think Herbert was a mystery of Cabin 6, like Cabin 9 had Bunker 9, except Bunker 9 was a lot more interesting than 'The Mystery of Herbert.'

It was strange to think that the only reason she had chosen that desk was because of a half-brother who may or may not be dead had carved his name into the oaken slab. But it comforted her to no end; it was when she saw those words she realised that she wasn't really as alone as she had once thought.

Sure she had her siblings, Luke and a whole camp filled with the misfits of America. But Herbert was the possibility of what could happen to her, every night before bed she would dream about her mysterious half-brother what he looked like, what he was like and anything and everything that made a human a person.

She had always dreamed that he had made it, found a way to block out the delicious scent that demigods emitted and started a family.

"You can't keep doing this." He takes a step towards her as she eyes her desk off. "I'm worried about you." He says Annabeth turns around to face him and gives him a little smile. Tears begin to form, pooling at the bottom of her eyelids.

Annabeth has never been known to say sorry often so when she bites her tongue to stop her from saying anything she quickly releases it and goes in for a hug. "I'm sorry." She says muffled into his shirt.

Malcolm releases her and awkwardly pats her on the head. "No need to be sorry." he turns back around towards where he once stood grabbing his drink bottle off of the corner of the picture.

The corner rolls up as Malcom takes a quick swig of water. "Are you still coming to practice?"

Annabeth looks up at her brother with a guilty frown, she shakes her head slowly.

Malcolm chews his lip thoughtfully and smiles back at her, she can tell he is trying to be supportive but the smile comes off as condescending as if he was trying to comfort a child.

She had promised her youngest sister that she would attend this lesson after missing almost every lesson this week. Really what did they expect though? She had just been told by a goddess that Percy, her boyfriend and quite honestly _the _one that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, had to leave without her to escape the gods that they had literally only just saved.

Really they were lucky she wasn't in some catatonic sleep and plotting revenge on the very gods she believed in.

They were meant to be the god guys right?

Then why the Hades do they feel like the bad guys all of a sudden?

'_Maybe it's because they are all bad guys?' _her mind helpfully supplies. She frowns a little.

It was true though, the gods aren't the good guys. But they also aren't exactly the bad guys either. More than anything they are like the better of the three evils.

She prays that there are only two other evils. She doesn't think she could end up in a mad attempt to save the world again.

Two times were enough, thankyou very much.

"It's okay." He shrugs, but he sounds so unsure like he knows it isn't okay and part of her agrees with that sentiment. She is pretty useless with a sword as is, really she could use the training but being in that arena without her boyfriend almost feels like too much, that arena was just as much his zone as the beach and his cabin.

It's where he went to relax, to release his anger and even just to muck around.

"Maybe next time." She mutters turning back to her sketch, plans start to form once again in her mind and suddenly she feels like she is losing herself again as the conscious part of her brain zeroes in on what has to be done.

She doesn't have to see the face Malcolm pulls behind her before he shuts the door, he knows just as well as she does that she is lying.

She sits down at her desk pushing the draft paper aside almost tearing it in the process as she pulls out another piece of paper her hand automatically looms over her pencil as she tries to clear her mind for a moment.

She needs to focus on the one new building design and not the thousands of others that suddenly start to fly and whizz around her brain fighting for room at the forefront of her brain.

Her pencil hits the page and suddenly she is completely focused on the task at hand, line after line and she suddenly starts to feel more alive and aware than she has ever been. She wonders if Percy feels like this around salt water.

Her pencil falters slightly.

'_Don't think about him.' _

"I wasn't." she grunts back to her mind.

But then she finds herself once again picturing sea green eyes and a mess of jet black hair that just feels so right entwined in her fist.

Percy had always hated it when she pulled his hair, once he had yanked her hand away and had held them both with one hand while the other played with the skin on her neck, she never complained about that though, rather she loved it, especially when his finger would tickle just above her collar bone she would shiver and he would always smile and plant another kiss on her lips.

"Wow!" a voice from behind her exclaims.

Annabeth reacts quickly, well after almost falling off her chair in shock. She spins on her heel and faces the intruder, her blade raised in a defensive position that can easily change to an offensive with the flick of her hand.

"Holy Hera." Rachel cries her hands raised upright as she stares at the point of the dagger in confusion, her eyes flick towards Annabeth's.

"Rachel?" Annabeth mutters, her mind clearing up of all the building designs and the number of columns an Atrium would need without having too many.

"Uh." Rachel says quickly. "Yeah, didn't you hear me knock?"

Annabeth looks back towards her current project guiltily. "No." she turns back towards Rachel who is staring around her cabin in complete wonder.

While it was true that Rachel and Annabeth had quite quickly turned to be good friends since her ascending into Oracle-hood, there were times when Annabeth had questioned Rachel's trust worthiness.

And by times she doesn't mean over the months the two have grown close, it was more like the days since Percy left her without so much of a good bye, not that she blames him of course.

Still, it would have been nice.

After all Rachel was the oracle, she was close to the gods, closer than all of the demigods that were sired by said gods. If anything Rachel was like the dividing line between mortal and immortals, she was given orders and spoke to the gods and passed down whatever information she was given when she was given it.

The gods respected her and needed her more than they really needed all their children, Annabeth often wondered what it would be like if the gods respected her like that.

Sometimes she couldn't stop her mind from wondering if Rachel was closer to the gods then she let on, once she had even let slip that Apollo would often slip into her dreams and talk to her as if they were the best of friends.

She wonders if Apollo is also slipping into Rachel's dreams and questioning her about where exactly the evasive son of Poseidon was.

If he was she doesn't think Rachel would give away that information, but the gods could be persuasive and could always find a way to get the information that they needed out of people.

That being said Annabeth was extremely glad that the mortal was helping her boyfriend. Sure he was the saviours of Olympus and one of the seven heroes he could also sometimes be really clueless and reckless, a trait that was obviously one of Poseidon's many quirks (?).

Honestly he could quite possibly take on an entire squadron of Marines and come out on top, that didn't mean that she still didn't worry about his safety though.

He was her boyfriend, sometimes she even worried about him getting lost in New York. Despite the fact that he knew the entire city like the back of his hand.

Yes it was irrational to worry about the little things, but this was love and wasn't love irrational?

At least that was the mantra of her cabin whenever they had a run in with an angry Aphrodite camper.

'_Like Mother like children.' _She thinks bitterly.

"I can see what Percy meant about the beds." She chuckles as she looks towards the far wall. Annabeth takes a good long look at Rachel then, she can see the tension building on her shoulders and the tightness of her smile as she tries, and fails miserably, to put on a relaxed and easy going expression.

Her eyebrows raise and she suddenly can see a hundred thousand scenarios that involve Percy being eaten by a drakon or being taken by the gods.

She opens her mouth to question her mortal friend but either by coincidence or because Rachel doesn't want to answer one of her questions, the mortal beats her to the punch.

"Do you guys even sleep?" she questions walking around the cabin. Her hand lingers on one the rungs of a bunk; it's her sister Maria's she hadn't made it this morning. Something Annabeth had once been on top of in the running of the cabin.

Everything was to be kept clean and tidy, including the desks.

As morbid as it sounded it just made things easier if anyone died.

Then they wouldn't have to clean up their stuff because it would already be done. It was a rule the previous cabin counsellor had made after the death of a boy the year after she first arrived at camp.

He was at least three years older than Annabeth had been and was one of the nicest half-bloods she had ever met, that didn't mean he had no flaws however, he had grown to prideful and cocky and had travelled into the forest to fight monsters alone.

They didn't find his body until the next day.

She of course had continued with that rule, she never wanted to pack a siblings things up again let alone send them off to their father and the rest of their family. That was the reason why so many demigods had very little belonging with them when they came to camp. No one wants to put their families through the pain of going through mountains of stuff.

She frowns at the bunk as if it has done a great wrong and it has done a great wrong. It has reminded her that she is not the same cabin leader that she had once been.

"Yeah." Annabeth mutters in reply shaking all the dark thoughts out of her head. "Sometimes our greatest inspiration comes from dreams."

Rachel nods her head solemnly taking another quick look around the cabin, all of the beds bar one look dishevelled and slept in, mostly because Malcolm has this weird quirk of trying to sleep in a new bed every night.

"Let me guess." She says walking towards one of the bunks, quickly she kneels down low and almost crawls into the bunk and pulls a picture off the wall. Annabeth winces as Rachel emerges with a soft smirk on her face. "This one is yours."

Annabeth knows what picture in in her hand; it's the last and probably one of the only pictures of the seven. It was taken before their departure back to their respective camps.

Annabeth stays silent as she stares as the picture from the distance.

Rachel sighs loudly. "You need to sleep." Annabeth's eyes dart towards her friend. She stares at Rachel with an inert focus that has Rachel shiver.

"I am sleeping."

"That's not what Malcolm says."

Annabeth turns her glare towards Malcolm's desk. "Malcolm needs to mind his own business."

"This moping around isn't going to do anyone any good." Rachel says turning back around placing the picture on her friend's pillow.

"Who says I'm moping." Annabeth starts her arms folded as she looks back at her friend, this time Rachel stays composed or as composed as she can when her friend is giving her a glare that could turn Medusa to stone.

"Uh everyone." Rachel deadpans; Annabeth notices how her hand twitches slightly to her jean pocket every few minutes as if she is awaiting a reply.

Annabeth removes her cautious stare from Rachel's leg and frowns. "I'm not mopping." She tries again. Rachel gives her a no nonsense look. "I'm working on something."

"When did you last shower?" Rachel deadpans.

Annabeth goes to open her mouth but nothing comes out.

'_When did I last shower?' _

"Last night." She lies.

"Pfft." Rachel exclaims, rolling her eyes as she does. "More like three to five days ago."

Annabeth bites her lip in hesitation. She doesn't know why Percy's sudden disappearance this time is worse than the first time. It could be because she doesn't want to lose him again, that she can't bear to be apart from him for this long, it could be Tartarus and how they spent so long in the worst place imaginable or maybe it was because she had thought they were finally past all this.

Whatever the reason is she suddenly feels as if she is once again bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders, except this time the weight of the world was more emotional than physical.

"Why are you here?" Annabeth questions with a cool look, one that she had seen her mother use on multiple occasions, she had spent days trying to copy it when she was younger. It was just another way for her to cope with the fact that her mother was an immortal goddess that probably couldn't tell her apart from the rest of her siblings. "You can't just be here to lecture me on the importance of hygiene and sleep."

Rachel shifts on her feet uneasily, Annabeth herself begins to feel the unwelcome feeling of anxiety.

"Rachel?" she asks her voice doesn't break, she makes sure of that. "What happened to Percy? Is he okay?" surely her friend would tell her if something bad happened? She knows that the oracle has been helping her boyfriend in his mad attempt at escaping, Rachel has even past on messages for them both.

She figures that this would be a simple message from Percy but those conversations never started out like this, they usually started out with Rachel passing a hand written note to Annabeth at the campfire which would then be thrown into the fire pit where she would pray to Hestia to cover up all the information that had passed. So far Hestia had been doing her job and no word had gotten past the two that Percy was on the run and that Rachel was letting him stay at an undisclosed location.

The mortal is silent for a moment and shifts again uneasily; Rachel was not the battle hardened warrior that both Annabeth and Percy were.

"Rachel-"

"He left." Rachel interrupts, Annabeth watches her friend carefully, trying to detect a lie or what that could mean.

"What do you mean he left?" she asks taking a seat. Her lungs feel heavy and her head feels light, panic floods through her.

'_Don't worry, Percy is a big boy. He can take care of himself.'_

Rachel bites her lip and takes another long look around the cabin before looking back at Annabeth with a slight frown. "Maybe we should talk outside?"

Annabeth shakes her head. "No. I want to stay here."

'Outside reminds me too much of him.'

She is starting to realise she sounds like a pinning girlfriend. It scares the Hades out of her how one person could mean so much to her that she could feel this broken when they left.

"I don't think it's a good idea-"

'SLAM!' Annabeth's fist hits the table knocking over a cup filled with graphite pencils, perfect for sketching and remodelling.

"What do you mean," she starts with a growl her feet hit the ground and suddenly she is standing and stalking towards Rachel. "He left?"

Rachel stays calm; they both know Annabeth won't hurt her. "I don't know." She sighs. "He won't text me back, he won't answer my calls. Annabeth he won't let me help him anymore."

'_Of course he won't'_ she thinks to herself with a grumble. _'He is trying to be noble; he doesn't want to see anyone get hurt.'_

"I'm sorry." Rachel says with a dejected look.

Annabeth smiles tightly. "It's fine." She says with a flip of her hand she turns around, hiding the anxious look on her face. But he should be fine, shouldn't he?

The room starts to feel funny then, like it's swallowed a thousand suns and is trying to get rid of all the built up energy that is forming within.

Rachel must sense it the same time Annabeth does because she is suddenly standing next to Annabeth and trying to pull her towards the door.

"We need to lea-"

"Annabeth."

Rachel freezes and looks back at Annabeth with a look of complete shock and surprise, Annabeth doesn't blame her because she is pretty sure her facial expression mirrors the oracles.

"Mum?" she asks turning around to face the goddess, who is looking honestly quite fashionable in a slim pair of jeans and a button up shirt that is rolled up to her elbows.

The goddess smiles at her daughter before throwing a questioning eye towards Rachel who stands mouth agape with her hand on the door knob of their cabin.

"Lady Athena." Rachel says with a slight courtesy one that Annabeth is glad that she doesn't really have to do. Athena would never smite her daughter for something as frivolous as a courtesy, for a revolt on the gods on behalf of her son of Poseidon boyfriend? Perhaps.

"Oracle." She greets in reply except this time there is no warmth in her words instead there is a hidden warning that both girls seem to catch onto quite quickly.

Annabeth looks back at Rachel who is looking between the door, Annabeth and the goddess of wisdom who has suddenly appeared in Annabeth's cabin, well technically it is also Athena's cabin but Annabeth doubts the lady Athena has spent any time in this cabin apart from right now.

"Um" Annabeth starts clearly in a state of confusion and awkwardness.

'_Probably should have showered this morning.'_ She thinks as she runs a hand through her greasy and slightly knotted hair.

"We were just leaving." Rachel interrupts finding what little courage she has. Annabeth is honestly impressed by the courage; then again this was the girl who threw a blue plastic hair brush at the Titan Lord of Time who was trying take over the western world.

Athena stares at Rachel almost perplexed.

"Just because you possess the Oracle of Delphi." She starts with an edge in her voice that reminds Annabeth of a sharp blade. "And are protected by Apollo, doesn't mean I won't make you leave if I have to."

Annabeth almost sweat drops, beside her she feels Rachel do the same.

All three of them stand locked in a standoff that feels mostly awkward then terrifying.

"It's fine Rachel." Annabeth says breaking the silence, she shoots her mother a look before turning back to Rachel with a slight smile that may or may not portray Annabeth's true feelings of worry.

Rachel chews her lip and shakes her head a little, her hand moving towards her pocket as if hoping that she had a plastic hairbrush to hurl at her mother. Annabeth doesn't know if she would laugh, cry or scream if she did throw something at the goddess.

She knows for a fact that her mother would be perplexed and confused at first, before she would smite the girl for something like insubordination.

"Annabeth." Rachel whispers leaning in close, she shoots a wary eye towards the goddess who is looking around the cabin pretending not to listen in to the conversation. "Please."

"I will be fine." She says back to her friend.

Rachel looks torn for a minute, like she knows what could happen would be bad before she sighs loudly and releases her hold on her friend and turning back to the door, there is a moment where light shines into the cabin and Annabeth realises just how long it has been since she has left her nest of books and plans.

Annabeth turns back to her mother who now faces her with all her attention and grace. Annabeth has never felt so unworthy in her life.

"What's up?"

Athena raises a brow and Annabeth mentally curses, she has started to adopt some of Percy's mannerisms, mannerisms that probably shouldn't be used in front of this particular goddess.

"We have word" Athena starts cutting any and all bullshit and going straight to business, something Annabeth respects about her mother, she doesn't beat around the bush or leave any form of climactic feeling. She just gets to the point and doesn't take emotions into account. "That Percy has been receiving inside help."

Annabeth freezes, her face turns into an impressively blank face. "I don't know what you mean."

Athena doesn't buy it, Annabeth knows this but still the goddess plays along with her daughter's ploy, whether it's because of sentimental reasons or because she is using some form psychological mind game.

"Percy was found earlier this morning" Annabeth freezes, her body goes rigid and her palms begin to sweat, something Athena notices right away. "However," she continues turning around to inspect the cabin, the goddess smiles at her children's belongings all over the place and picks up a soft teddy bear from Maria's bunk. She turns back to Annabeth with a frown. "He managed to escape."

"Oh." Is all Annabeth can say her eyes focused on the teddy bear that Athena seems to be clutching to her chest fondly?

"Yes." Athena states. "The council is not pleased in the slightest." She gives Annabeth a meaningful look.

"Wait." She says shaking her head. "You think that I have something to do with Percy's disappearance?"

Athena raises a brow at her daughter.

'_Puh-lease,'_ she thinks with a concerned look_. 'I wish I was helping him. Maybe then I would be able to relax.' _

"You can't be serious." Annabeth grumbles.

"I'm very serious." Athena replies. Annabeth stares at the teddy bear that is still in the goddesses grasp. It's the only thing Maria has left of her family. She would be absolutely distraught if something happened to it.

"Mum I have nothing to do with it." She says pleadingly, she doesn't know if her mother will destroy the bear or if she is just holding it because maybe she has a fondness for stuffed animals. But she needs to be sure that the goddess won't destroy the bear. Part of her knows that Athena wouldn't do anything to the stuffed creature but after all the thoughts that have been waging a war in her brain ever since Percy's disappearance and Hestia's visit she can't exactly be sure anymore.

Athena sighs forlornly. "I want to trust you Annabeth, I do." She places the teddy bear back on the bed and Annabeth relaxes. "But this is bigger than you can even contemplate." She walks towards her daughter and places a hand on her chin. "Just please." She says with wide eyes filled with sympathy. "Don't get too involved in this; I don't want anything to happen to you."

Annabeth stiffens and stares at her mother. A mixture of emotions pool in her gut.

'_Did she just-'_

"Did you just threaten me?" she questions as fear and anger start to bloom in the centre of her gut.

Athena shakes her head slowly as if she was trying to impart her famous wisdom and Annabeth didn't fully understand it, except Annabeth kind of does understand it.

"No." she says releasing her daughters chin and taking a step back. "I'm warning you." She mutters. "I may favour you but others don't." Annabeth stares at her mother in confusion and shock, she isn't entirely sure she understands anything at the moment.

"Mum?" She questions taking a hesitant step forward. Athena looks towards her daughter. "Why do you want Percy to be a god?"

"Why do you want to marry him." she answers back elusively. Annabeth frowns at the hypothetical question.

"What?" she asks taking a step backwards. "That doesn't make any sense."

Athena frowns and shakes her head as if she has been put under a spell. She looks back up at her daughter with what could be an anxious expression.

"Just remember what I told you." She says before the feeling of power rises in the air of the cabin.

Annabeth turns around just in time to shield her eyes from her mother as she disappears, a feather being left in her place. Annabeth frowns and scoops up the feather, she catches sight of Maria's bear and smiles, glad that her mother didn't take it wither her.

Maria may be twelve years old and mature beyond her years but Annabeth as well as the rest of the camp know just how sentimental that bear is to the girl. Not even Clarisse would touch it without the girl's permission.

'_What did she mean by that? Why did she even say that?_' Annabeth frowns as she stands from her squatted position.

The door suddenly opens from behind her, excited shouts as the rest of her cabin steps through the threshold.

Maria runs towards her bunk in an excited rush of limbs dropping her drink bottle onto the mattress she dives onto the bed, Malcolm follows attempting to tickle his younger sister.

Everyone ignores Annabeth who continues to stand in the centre of the cabin with a singular grey feather in her hand. They are all known to have moments like this, times where each of them will often come to a complete halt as their brains focused in one something, it was common etiquette for them to never break a siblings zoning out. Because who knows maybe they were coming up with a brilliant new plan for something.

"What's wrong?" Malcolm asks Maria, the girl is holding the teddy bear in her hand her eyes focused on nothing, her eyebrows scrunched together.

Annabeth comes crashing out of her thought process then as pieces of the puzzle suddenly click and fall into place.

"Did someone touch my bear?" she says with a knowing smile.

Annabeth drops the feather. "Oh my Gods."

**Still with me? Yes uber confusing and annoying but I wanted to so I did.**

**Anyway please tell me what you thought of this chapter. :)**

**a1993: **hahaha why thankyou. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**Utoris Son of Gaia: **Challenge accepted for longest review hahaha. Yeah I'm planning on having the gods being really selfish and greedy, I mean they are gods also I am planning on Percy running into some very helpful minor gods and goddesses in the future of this fic.

I have been actually thinking something along those lines for Percy and Annabeth's breakup in this story, not sure about the torture though I keep iffing and aring between ideas like you suggested by I absolutely love what you wrote about Nemesis and I'm going to write something like that into this story because Percy obviously isn't going to be all like 'Awesome being a god isn't so terrible should have agreed to this sooner' as soon as he is captured.

Thankyou so much for giving me all these ideas that I can't wait to incorporate into the story, I really appreciate it as well as all the compliments. Thank you so, so much for reading and reviewing, I really appreciate it. :)

**AgitatedDog9288: **hahaha love the enthusiasm, although I don't think this was the update you were looking for :p

**Fantomfaire: **Thankyou for reading. Unfortunately you are going to have to wait a little while to find out how exactly Percy is going to get out of that one.

**Fallen Angel of Olympus: **First off; thankyou so much for reading and reviewing this story it really means a lot to me.

Secondly I can't really say too much on what's going to happen in the future of this fic with the whole 'Dating' thing but what I can say is that there won't be a whole lot of dating going on.

Also on the point of Percy being a guardian of the hunt, oh hell to the no. At first all those fics were great and I honestly loved them especially Starblade176's fic, but I completely agree with you, the whole device of being a guardian of the hunt is completely overused and predictable to a fault, that isn't to say all stories that are Guardian stories are terrible because some of them are really good and they can be original just that most aren't.

As to his titles, that is something I myself am not overly sure about. I still want to make this somewhat realistic, well as realistic as I can with Percy ending up with an eternal maiden and having half of Olympus crushing on him, but I'm only thinking one title or maybe three at the most. All the titles you have suggested have come to mind I'm just having trouble picking which ones I want him to hold. All I know is that his symbol of power will be Riptide and his sacred animal may be a Pegasus. Thanks for reviewing :)

**Banesith777: **Cheers mate, hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**AustinWritesThePJBooks: **Well we all knew he couldn't run forever… or could he? Thanks for reviewing :)

**Guest: **Hey man thank you for reviewing and reading this :)

Also thankyou for giving me ideas like whoa I love the whole thing about Percy staying at the hunt for a bit, seriously its great but I can't say too much on what's going to happen to Percy because that will give everything away. :/

Please don't worry about this turning into a Harem story, because I can tell you that will not happen and the whole 'loving him so much they want to spend eternity with him' is pretty much their main goal as what Athena kind of gave away in this chapter.

Apollo probably would take Percy to Olympus so that she could be with Percy forever, if Apollo wasn't so interested in having him all to himself ;)

**MassDragonbornEffect: **Hahaaha why thankyou, while this may not have been the chapter you were hoping for I still hope you enjoyed it :)

**Monkeybaby: **Yeah he sure knows how to get into trouble doesn't he. Hope you enjoyed :)

**AmeliaJane14: **Oh I will update soon, thanks for reviewing. :)

**Bambino01: **Thank you for reviewing, hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

**Flying Pigs: **No prob Bob. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully you won't have to wait too long to figure out what happens to Percy. :)

**Becool258:** Yeah it won't be for a while till he becomes a god without giving too much away, thanks for reviewing :)

**Ronnie R15: **She won't be too angry with Percy but she still will be mostly because of her own Pride in not finding him sooner. Yeah she won't really I'm going to make her only refer to Percy as Perseus when he is doing something wrong or when she is angry at him, kind of like when a parent or a friend uses your full name.

Yeah if anything this story is more of a parody of the series if anything, but some of them will be having a gracing period and their own reasoning for liking him, not the generic reasoning I used in the original of this story. But I promise you this that I will not have Hestia liking Percy because he was the first one that noticed her, it makes no sense really because Nico was the first one to really notice who she was and talk to her, I totally agree with you on that whole aspect.

Thank you for reading and reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)

**StarOfFeanor: **haha same she is my favourite female Olympian with Hermes and Apollo tied for my favourite male. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys long time no see, sorry about the wait. **

**Just want to thank everyone for reading/favouriting/following and reviewing this story. Muchly appreciated. **

**Main Pairings: **Percy/Olympians, Eventual Percy/Artemis

**Side Pairings: **Percy/Annabeth

**I in no way own PJatO or HoO**

Artemis remembers the first time she had gone hunting; how thrilling and exhilarating it had been tracking down that boar and how magnificent it had been to release her fingers that had toyed with the string and letting loose that silver arrow fatally wounding the creature.

It may sound dark how she relished the killing of the innocent beast, but holding that kind of power over life and death was something that really put her immortal life into perspective.

It was ever since that day that she truly loved and lusted over hunting as well as the hunt in itself. It was then that she truly felt power flowing through her veins as golden ichor flowed through her arteries pumping in and out of her heart like a loaded freeway during the peak hours in Manhattan.

The hunt was her domain, and oh how she loved the thrill of the Hunt more than anything, the anticipation that seemed to flow through her as she tracked, followed and stalked her prey. Hunting was what she prided herself on, it was what she was good at. What she was most known for.

So you can imagine her happiness when her father orders her to track down and find Percy Jackson and bring him straight to Olympus for the transition of godhood to take place. Who knew that the son of Poseidon had a certain knack for disappearing and completely going off the Gods' radar.

When she had first heard the son of Poseidon had run away after an unknown source, she bets a million drachmas it was Poseidon who told Percy of their plans to abduct and change him, she had figured the mission would last a whole two hours.

As soon as those two hours were up Artemis was close to a nervous and mental breakdown. So she recalculated and upped her efforts to catching him within 24 hours, on and on this went with her having to travel back to Olympus and report all her findings, or rather none of her findings, to her father, brother and the rest of the Olympian council who all shared a good laugh on how a demigod could outrun and manage to evade the goddess of the hunt.

Her pride itself had seemed to be mortally wounded.

That was until she returned back to her hunters with the grave news that they would once again be travelling and would have to double their efforts into finding Percy Jackson, only to find said demigod hiding behind a tree just outside their camp ground talking to one Thalia Grace, her mortal half-sister and lieutenant of the hunt.

You could just imagine the anger and betrayal that seeped from her very pores when she ordered her huntresses to set up camp again for the night.

Most of them being newly acquired, believe it or not after the giant war nymphs and demigods were eager to join Artemis' ranks. Even if the whole conundrum had occurred over a week ago she had a total of five new hunters, two of which were demigods, three nymphs and one clear sighted mortal who was turning out to be an absolutely amazing marksman.

Much to some of her older hunters annoyance.

No one argued with her all too preoccupied with the sight of a strange male being dragged by his collar towards Artemis' newly set up tent that had appeared with the flick of her hand. Thalia Grace following the goddess with an almost evenly matched pace.

Artemis all but throws the body of Percy towards the corner of her tent, with the flick of risk the demigod is shackled and chained to a metal pole that keeps the tent standing upright. Thalia winces slightly but remains standing tall in front of her leader.

"Sit." Artemis orders her lieutenant a pillow suddenly appearing beside the demigod to sit on. Thalia casts an eye towards the pillow before looking back up towards the goddess. She crosses her arms.

"I'm fine thanks." Thalia replies coolly.

Artemis stops her pacing and stares at her half-sister, it is a stare she usually reserves for her brother and Aphrodite at Council meetings. She rarely if ever uses it against a huntress instead trying to use kindness and respect to get her points across.

However it seems that Thalia is not allowing the usual mutual respect to flow through them, something that Artemis is actually quite happy about for once.

"Sit." She orders again with a shout that has Percy groan from his corner.

Thalia shoots him a worried look before looking back towards the angry goddess of the hunt, her lips tighten and her eyes grow darker. The air around the two starts to grow heavy and thick with tension. Thalia leans forward until her face is inches away from Artemis. "No."

Artemis growls in a way that is reminiscent of one of her wolves. Thalia's knees start to grow weak and she is forced down onto the ground in front of the goddess, the pillow beside her vanishes and she is left sitting on a piece of fur that provides little comfort for the daughter of Zeus. She winces.

The tent is silent with the only sound being Artemis' foot falls along the ground and the occasional sound of Percy groaning. Thalia keeps her eyes focused on a heated glare towards her patron who looks like she may be planning on murdering the two demigods in her tent. Finally she stops her impatient pacing and turns towards Thalia.

"How long has he been here?" she growls.

Thalia remains silent as she glares towards the virginal goddess. There are no words for the glare Artemis receives, words that don't go along the lines of anger and betrayal that is.

Artemis growls again and almost rushes the demigod sitting in front of her, she stands over Thalia and bends over slightly until their faces are inches apart. Thalia holds back her tongue but continues to glare up at the goddess in front of her.

"How. Long?" Artemis says with a somewhat calm voice that usually happens before she completely loses her composure and turns into a raging goddess that most myths depict her to be.

Thalia removes her glare and instead looks towards one of the fabric walls, if she concentrates hard enough she will be able to see everything going on outside.

"Thalia?" she growls again, the demigods face swings around to look at her leader .

"Why are you doing this to him?" she asks back, the glare softens slightly until it is almost a frown, just with a bit more heat than Artemis would appreciate especially from such a loyal follower.

"Doing what exactly?" Artemis replies with an unkind expression. Artemis can't remember having a confrontation like this with one of her hunters.

She usually reserves it for when they defy a direct order or try to cover up an illicit love affair with a man or even a woman. They have signed a contract after all to forsake love, Artemis couldn't ever really care less just who or what her hunters were attracted to. All she asks is that they reject the concept of love or at the very least vow to never put themselves in a position where they are to lose their virginity or to fall into the dark pit that is love.

A pit that Artemis fears she is spiralling into with every waking moment.

She shakes her head slightly and gives that darn son of Poseidon a glare, it is his fault that all this is happening, that she is both stressed and developing a terrible possessive streak that she has never really known before.

Suddenly she isn't so surprised that her and Apollo are related.

Thalia looks like she is trying to form a coherent sentence that doesn't involve the words 'bitch', 'Liar' or 'worse than Hera on a bad hair day.'

"Why are you forcing godhood onto him." she finally grounds out with a slight wince.

There is a moment Artemis doesn't know what exactly to say because if it was up to her she would also permit godhood on Thalia, one of the only hunters who has fought and survived in two major wars this past century all of which were barely a year apart. But for the moment the entire council is too focused on letting Percy get away from them.

"That is none of your concern." Artemis retorts spinning on her heel to have another look at the son of Poseidon, she needs to take him back to the council to have her honour and pride restored. But for the moment she knows she has to calm the storm that is Thalia before she does something rash and stupid.

Like storm into Olympus and demand they release her friend of face the consequences. Artemis can see at least one if not more than one god vaporising her on the spot for demanding something from an Olympian.

Thalia was too good of a friend/sister/comrade for Artemis to simply let that happen.

"Like Hades it is!" Thalia exclaims, Artemis senses her stand, but simply makes the huntresses legs start to buckle with a mere thought to stop her from attacking or doing something that could fully bring down the fabled wrath of Artemis upon her.

"Thalia." Artemis seems to grown turning towards to her friend with a frown. "You need to calm down." She says it to the girl in front of her, but Artemis is really trying to adhere to her own words and not blow up at the demigod who simply will not calm down.

Thalia makes a grumbling noise before tearing her eyes off the goddess and back onto the hessian fabric of the tent. The outside is usually covered in thick furs and pelts of animals both mythical and not, but this time it seems that while Artemis was summoning the tent to her that she must have forgotten about the little things that seem to make this tent just a little bit more Hunter like.

Artemis takes in a deep breath and rolls her eyes that her lieutenants ridiculous outburst.

'_But is it so ridiculous?'_

"Listen, and listen carefully Thalia Grace." Artemis says to the angry daughter of Zeus, the angry daughter of Zeus who seems to be actively trying to ignore her leader's words with every fibre of her being. "You cannot and will not, ever speak to me or any other god like that ever again." Artemis closes her eyes before slowly opening them again, her head begins to ache from the conflicting feelings that are all attempting to make a break for it and fly out of her mouth in words that would make this situation all the more stranger.

"Or what?" Thalia asks. "You will ground me?" it takes Artemis a moment to realise that the girl is taunting her, it's something that makes her almost take a step back.

"I might just." Artemis hisses gaining her composure quickly.

Thankfully this time Thalia stays silent her eyes glued to the twelve year old goddess pacing in front of her, she is well aware of the danger of the situation she has put herself in. After all she has just deliberately disobeyed a goddess, who she just so happens to have pledged her allegiance to, and to make the situation worse she has spoken back to the goddess as if she were a were a child.

She had very well signed her own death warrant.

She just hoped her judge and executioner would appeal her sentence, but the way Artemis was looking at her left little room for that hope to blossom.

There is a shifting noise in the corner, Artemis stops her pacing and throws a look towards Percy who is frowning. He is coming out of his unconscious state, somewhat slower then what the goddess had expected of the great Percy Jackson.

She looks down at her elbow in wonder. Had she hit him harder then she thought? Then again she can't really remember much past the rage that had blurred her vision and caused her body to shiver and quake.

Her original plan once noticing Percy was to simply incapacitate him without causing much physical pain, but seeing Thalia talking and laughing with him like the old friends they are something had snapped causing her to react in a way that she would attribute more towards her Roman aspect Diana.

She gives him a short broken glare and spins around towards Thalia.

"When were you going to apprehend him." she asks sitting down in front of the demigod. Thalia stays silent still watching Artemis with a heated glare.

"Apprehend?" Her voice raises slightly as a look of disbelief floods her face. "_Apprehend_? Seriously? He saved our lives, Hades he saved the world and you want me to 'Apprehend' him?"

Artemis raises her brows and rolls her eyes.

"I am well aware of all this." Artemis sighs; the pit of anger in her gut is slowly rising again. She doesn't want to blow up and unleash her rage on Thalia; she figures a nice long monster hunt was long overdue.

"Then why are you asking me 'When I was going to apprehend him'?" By this point the rage and irritation has returned and Artemis feels like she may just skin her favourite hunter alive if she continues on this path.

Artemis grits her teeth and closes her eyes as she tries to calm herself down.

'_Think happy thoughts. Hunting a stray hell hound, stalking a Laistrygonian Giant without being caught, Apollo stuck on Olympus for eternity.' _

She takes a long and deep breath before opening her eyes once more, she feels Diana in her head begging to be released and teaching this mortal a lesson. She holds her other aspect back, but Thalia can see that anger lurking in her eyes, she gulps.

"Because" Artemis starts again, her eyes flicker to different shades of silver. "They were your orders," Thalia sits back slightly leaning away from Artemis as she hisses out her answer. "Find Percy. Apprehend him. Send word to Olympus. Hand him over to the god they send." Artemis leans forward sensing Thalia's fear. "They were not difficult orders."

Thalia grits her death. "They weren't difficult." Thalia mutters back almost nervously. "But they were stupid."

That was when shit hit the metaphorical fan.

A surge of godly power that surprises even Artemis almost blows the tent down, Percy who is just gaining consciousness hits the back of his head against the poll and knocks himself out again, Thalia falls down at hits her back against the floor, a rock hidden underneath the makeshift carpet digs into her skin.

Artemis stands upright a sneer on her face as her form begins to shift and pull as Diana and Artemis fight for control.

It wasn't that Diana particularly hated Thalia, rather Diana on the rare few times she had shown herself had been far more of a disciplinarian then Artemis and would often make examples of each and every huntress when they stepped even a toe out of line.

Once she had turned a young huntress into a Jackalope because she had forgotten her duties.

No one held that over Artemis, mostly for the fact that if they did they would most likely join their comrade in some kind of small fluffy hell, plus Artemis had almost broke down in tears when she had seen what she had done to the little girl and had changed her back almost immediately and reduced her duties a simple washing up after meals.

Really that incident was no one's fault really, the girl was new and Artemis had had a rough day and had escaped camp to let off a little steam. However when she had let off that steam she seemed to ignite another burning blaze from within and had somehow come back in her Roman aspect with eyes that looked like they could penetrate Celestial Bronze.

"Thalia Grace," her voice is unwavering and almost cuts through her skin like a blade, "Not only do you question my orders." She takes a step forward and Thalia has to hold bag the nerves and the feeling in her chest telling her to scramble away from the furious goddess who looks like she is stalking a boar. "But you also have the audacity to call them stupid?!"

Thalia thinks she would be lucky to be turned into a Jackalope by this point, rather she thinks that she may just be drawn and quartered instead.

Thalia goes to open her mouth as if to mutter out an apology, but she quickly shuts it refusing to even think about apologising. Saying sorry really isn't in her vocabulary of words, Artemis knows this which is why she looks so murderess.

'_If I say sorry' _she thinks to herself with a half bitten lip. _'she will probably accept it almost immediately and relax.' _

"By my bow, Thalia." Artemis grunts she stands in front of the goddess her eyes filled with a burning passion to hunt and kill the next creature she sees. "If the next words out of your mouth aren't an apology I may just string you up by your ears."

Thalia gulps again.

She feels as if she is stuck between a rock and a hard place and that hard place is a simple apology something that will taste foul on her tongue especially since she is apologising for disobeying an order that she wholeheartedly refuses to follow.

Artemis takes another step, her toes touching Thalia's shins. Thalia grits her teeth and look back at the sleeping form of Percy.

She doesn't understand how he can look so peaceful when Thalia feels as if she is about to be eaten whole.

"Sorry." She grumbles, her eyes not even meeting the long pale legs in front of her.

Artemis sighs and Thalia has the unfortunate luck of watching those long legs shorten as Artemis reverts back to her twelve year old form. It's a sight that creeps the Hades out of Thalia who usually makes a pointed look at anything else.

"I know this must be hard for you." Artemis grumbles moving back a little she takes a seat, a cushion appearing just underneath her.

Thalia wants to scoff, because hard for her? Yeah it's a little difficult when the all-powerful beings she has fought for are suddenly hell bent on changing her friend.

"But this is fate," she shrugs her shoulders and throws a weary gaze over her shoulder towards the passed out demigod chained to a pole in the corner of the tent. She knows what a few other goddesses would be doing to him if they were in her position but she throws that thought away instead focusing on the conundrum that has been plaguing her mind since Thalia first opened her mouth. "More importantly it's his fate." She gives a pointed look towards Thalia.

"I can't be a part of this." Thalia muses quietly.

Artemis frowns at her huntress. "Thalia." The girl in front of her looks up at her with a frown. "You know that I can't let you leave."

It's true, leaving the Hunters is one of the most difficult things a person can do. It's like ripping out a part of you in the most brutal way possible she had seen probably three hunters do it and each and every time they had regretted it almost immediately even the two who went on to start families, they had lost that little spark and had led depressing lives filled with misery.

Artemis had often wondered if the goddess Akhlys had somehow managed to curse her hunters without her knowledge.

Thalia sighs and shakes her head. "I just don't know how I am even able to deal with any of this." She makes a strangled noise her hands raised upright. "He's my friend, he doesn't deserve this."

Artemis holds her tongue, because yes, the whole point of this is that he does deserve it, he just doesn't realise it.

Thalia looks up towards her leader with a soft and sad look; Artemis would almost call it pleading if it weren't for the unsettling grin on her face. "Just let him go, please." Artemis almost face palms. She was only just making progress. "Pretend he wasn't here."

Artemis would think her 'Pleading' to be pathetic if she wasn't feeling her heartstrings get pulled along with her.

She doesn't understand how or even why she is getting so emotional all of a sudden. She takes a quick glimpse towards Percy and frowns before looking back towards Thalia. "It's too late." She shrugs. "Everyone has already seen him."

"So?" Thalia presses, Artemis can tell she is slightly irritated.

"So, what if we run into another god? Someone may let slip that they saw him within the camp." Thalia frowns, Artemis has a point even though they rarely if ever run into another god there is still the chance that they might. Or even run into a friendly nymph or naiad that would then let it slip to a certain womanising god.

This ironically was at least half the gods on the Olympian council.

Plus they would have seen a fuming angry Artemis dragging an unconscious teenage boy into her tent like a Neanderthal. While the Hunters would throw that off as nothing the Olympians however would begin to question her motives, despite the fact that she was by far the most virtuous out of all of them, especially now that Lady Hestia was not technically an Olympian.

Percy makes a groaning noise in the background, Thalia looks towards the demigod with a worried look. Artemis frowns and clicks her fingers, Percy grows silent again.

"Don-"

Artemis throws up her hand suddenly silencing Thalia. She feels something, something off in the air like everything feels warmer and…brighter?

"Arty!"

Artemis groans loudly and slaps her cheek with an audible 'Whack' that has Thalia flinch yet again. Except this time it is more from the surprise of her leader slapping herself and not from the sheer presence of the world's most irritating god that was sure to grace them soon.

Thalia throws a cautious look towards Percy who has fallen silent; his body however trembles slightly like Mr D when someone wafts a bottle of Merlot under his nose.

Artemis sighs once more and bites her lip also throwing a look towards the son of Poseidon before looking back at Thalia with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry Thalia."

Thalia looks back at her leader with a disgruntled look.

"Arty! Where are you?" A voice calls from outside the tent, there are a few hushed murmurs and groans from the huntresses outside, Thalia can't help but agree with them.

"Please Artemis." She hisses she can practically feel Apollo's presence at the entrance of the tent.

Artemis peels her eyes off the tent entrance and glances back at Thalia. "There is nothing I can do now."

Thalia leans forward and frowns. "Then hide him."

Artemis opens her mouth to reply but just as she does the tent flaps open and the sun streams in, in the form of a teenage man with beautiful blonde hair and a radiant smile that could put any celebrity to absolute horror and shame, Thalia use to think he was hot. But after the whole debacle of a runaway demigod who just so happens to be passed out in the corner.

She is already fast losing any respect in her mentor and leader.

Well if she had any respect for her left at the moment.

"Hide who?" the god question as he carefully strolls in the room, a carefree demeanour radiates off him and Thalia for a moment feels completely at ease, as if everything will suddenly work out well.

The atmosphere suddenly shifts in .5 of a second.

"Brother, I-" Apollo throws a hand up into the air silencing his older sister. His eyes glued to the corner of the room with a slack jawed expression.

Artemis and Thalia don't really need to follow his gaze to know just why he is so shocked and surprised.

"I knew I saw him!" he crows suddenly, the air lightens once more. Thalia is a little surprised that the god doesn't leap into the air in sheer joy and exuberance. "The sun as my witness I knew it." He fist pumps as he rushes towards his sister.

Artemis has just enough time to stand before he tramples her.

"By my bow Apollo!" she scolds as she is lifted into the air, her head scraps upon the roof of her tent, messing up her perfect braid. "If you don't put me down, I swear to Hades that I will-"

But Apollo doesn't listen to his twin because he is far too caught up in his joy.

For Apollo, bringing the wandering son of Poseidon to his father Zeus would get him back on good footing with the all-powerful slightly bi polar god.

He puts his sister down onto the ground shocking and jarring the smaller goddess who is too lost for words to even articulate what is happening. She has only seen Apollo this happy and a number of occasions, twelve if she remembers correctly. She supposes this must be unlucky thirteen.

Apollos strong grip remains on her shoulders a bright smile as he looks towards the corner. Artemis realises why her brother has the 'Best smile on Olympus' quite suddenly, she frowns and tries to pry his hands off her.

While Apollo is the youngest he is a lot stronger then herself and that has nothing to do with their gender either, rather she can't really explain why Apollo is stronger than her, but she figures it might have something to do with the amount of worship he gets what with being a god of the sun and the oracle, well and the fact that he has the most demigod children of any god, even out numbering her own hunters.

'_Is he really using what strength he has left? Or are you just going easy on him?' _Artemis dispels that thought with a worried frown.

Artemis had called him a giant man-whore on countless occasions. Apollo just smiles, shrugs his shoulders and completely agrees every time. But not after telling his sister just how much the 'Ladies love him.'

She wonders just how two polar opposites could even be related, let alone twins.

"Arty!" he screeches in her face, Artemis groans and turns her head the other way to avoid the spit that flies from his mouth. "Sister." He cries again shaking him one more time. Just for good measure. "Do you know what this means?" he shifts again and his glasses shift down the bridge of his nose she only just takes in his eyes before they almost magically slide back up to meet his face.

Only Apollo would wear sunglasses for aesthetic purposes on a cloudy day like today.

"It means" She grits with a snarl aimed directly at the god in front of her. "That you will release your hands from my shoulders."

Apollo's smile widens and if she could see his eyes she would swear that they would be sparkling with mischief like their friend Hermes.

But she doesn't so it is all just speculation at this point.

"No." he shakes his head, his hair flops to the side. She realises with a self-satisfied smile that he hasn't put his usual amount of hair gel into his hair. "It means that father will no longer be angry with me." He practically jumps then.

Artemis grimaces slightly, Apollo's punishment had only just been handed out. It was safe to say that she didn't agree with the harsh punishment that her twin received, but none the less someone needed to be blamed and blaming Apollo was easier than blaming himself, at least that was the logic that Athena had said their father used.

She was better at figuring people out then Artemis was, and Zeus and Athena were essentially cut from the same cloth. If Athena wasn't so loyal and Zeus wasn't so trustworthy of Athena then Artemis is pretty sure the two would be enemies. After all that was why Zeus ate Metis.

He couldn't have a son that could so easily plot to destroy him, could he?

Artemis and Athena had both wondered what it would be like if the goddess of wisdom's unborn brother had been born, would he have been like Athena? Strong, wise and controlled? Or would he have been her opposite, like Artemis and Apollo?

She doesn't really know but she knows the world would be a completely different mess if he was born, for one they would have another enemy that would have thirsted for revenge and for their blood.

She shivers involuntarily.

An angry Zeus on your tail would be ill advised by all of them. Especially Poseidon, Hera and her twin Apollo. He had once before caught the bad end of their fathers wrath, he wasn't the same for a millennia after that, neither was Poseidon.

Maybe that was why Apollo was so invested in the search for the son of Poseidon.

"He will sing my praise sister." He releases her with a grand gesture and looks back at the son of Poseidon, a softer more genuine smile suddenly appears on his features. He looks back at a disdainful Artemis who is looking at Thalia with a concerned look, she keeps her twin in her peripherals in case he suddenly attacks her with another hug.

"Thalia." Artemis addresses quietly trying to find her composure. "Can you please give us some privacy?"

Thalia opens her mouth annoyance and aggression written all over her face, but is quickly silenced by a look of warning from Artemis and a wink from Apollo. She leaves the tent quickly and quietly taking one last look at the demigod chained in the corner.

She hopes he finds some way to get out of this.

Both gods watch her leave before turning back to each other. Apollo with a wide smile that makes him look almost wolfish and Artemis with a frown that makes her look like a petulant child.

"Can you believe it sis?" he questions watching the goddess grow to what an average 17 year old girl would look like. She does so to reduce the chances of her brother picking her up again. "A week." He laughs walking past her, she turns and watches him, "and entire week. And we finally have him." he laughs again before squatting down in front of the demigod he flicks the young man's cheeks with a finger before turning back around to his sister. "Looks like you finally found your reputation again."

Artemis smiles tightly at her brother and folds her arms around her chest. "Brother, I know that we have a lot riding on this-"

"Damn straight we do." Suddenly Apollo is on his feet and walking wards his sister, she can see his raised eyebrows over his sunglasses and frowns. "We pretty well have our positions on the council sitting on this."

Artemis sighs, because no they don't have their status of 'Olympian god' sitting on this, her brother is just being his usual dramatic self. What they do have riding on this is the respect of the council, something that is very important when you need to ask for favours from deities.

Artemis bites the side of her lip and frowns, her silver eyes watching the son of Poseidon as he stirs. She knows he will wake up soon, so does Apollo going by the glance he gives the man before turning his full attention back towards his doubting sister.

"I just don't think, just-" she sighs and frowns at nothing, she is suddenly tempted to kick something. "I don't know."

Apollo sighs and removes his glasses, he rubs his eyes with the other hand and holds the designer sunglasses by his side with the other. He looks up and Artemis almost gasps in shock from what she sees.

Apollo looks like, for lack of a better word, shit. His usual bright eyes now look dimmed as if he has been plagued by demons and the circles under his eyes make it look like he hasn't slept in weeks.

She wonders just how much of a toll his punishment has taken from him.

"No." he groans shaking his head. "You do know." He sighs again and Artemis wonders if he may break at any moment. He looks back at Artemis frowning. "We all know." He sighs once more placing a hand on her cheek. "It's wrong, we all know that." He smiles self depreciatingly and shakes his head. "We just won't admit it." He shrugs with a pout and Artemis suddenly feels like the younger sibling. "But we have to do-

"What we have to do." Artemis continues with a shrug.

He plasters a fake smile on his face suddenly, one that Artemis finally notices for what it is and throws the sunglasses on. Hiding all traces of the anxious and weak god that he had just shown to her. "Then let's take this exotic creature back home and get on with the show."

She smiles a little and straightens her back, as if in an attempt to brush off the worry from her weary frame. It is harder said than done, she suddenly respects her brother for his almost always cheery demeanour, one that he tries so hard to project to everyone else.

Only she knows what he is really like on the inside, she wonders what all the others would say if they learnt all about her brother's self-doubt. A god who projects himself as the best looking and yet is still unable to find someone that he can connect with a settle down with, well at least settle down by god standards, not human ones.

You would be surprised at how different those standards are.

"Just remember" Apollo says suddenly, his voice is careful and controlled, Artemis raises a brow. "That if this doesn't work out. I will find another way to get out of this punishment."

Artemis smiles tightly at her brother, her mind works furiously to dry and understand what he is talking about, surely taking Percy Jackson to Olympus and to their father would get him away from his punishment, she had been there when Zeus had given him the incentive, Hades he had also given the same incentive to her.

"What-"

She is interrupted by a shout as the son of Poseidon suddenly opens his eyes, he stares at the two gods in shock and confusion almost looking like a deer caught in head lights.

"Ah," Apollo sighs kneeling down beside the almost catatonic demigod. "Mr Jackson, I see you are finally awake."

**So I hope you all enjoyed. **

**a1993: **hahaha sorry about that ;)

**StarOfFeanor: ** Thank you. I'm trying to stay away from as many stereotypes as I can with this fic, which I admit will be hard but hey I'm trying.

**dogbiscuit1967:** Hhahahaha I'm glad you are getting that into this story, but I really can't give away too much information because I really don't want to spoil this story too much. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing and as to Annabeth, I want this story to be different from the usual Annabeth cheats on Percy thing because I really don't like those types of stories, and I secretly love Annabeth so I'm always trying to picture her in the best light. hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**HeyStardust: **Yeah I too find it annoying how they have Percy being the god of hundreds of things, I'm trying to narrow my list down to two, which is proving to be difficult but I don't want him to be way too powerful. So don't worry he won't be over powered. Thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**Fallen Angel Of Olympus: **Nah I think I have copied Felicity Dreams fic enough with this fic hahaha as well as xDarion'sKeeperx's stories, 'Adrenaline' and 'Rise', so I'm going to stray as far from them now as I can to separate my work from both of their amazing stories. Percy in this fic will be for lack of a better word emotional, so sometimes he will be the lovely nice Percy I often portray and the rest he will be his dark and vengeful self. I will try to make Percy more emotional and guilty about all this, because he probably should be in a massive state of remorse and irritation at the gods then what I am writing him as.

Thank you so much for reviewing as well as posting all of the things the Olympians are gods of its really helpful for me to decide what to have Percy the god of. Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

**MassDragonBornEffect: **Thank you so much, your review has made my shitty day amazing and I really appreciate it. :D

**monkeybaby: **Well I do like to keep you all guessing.

**Guest: ** Thank you so much for reviewing this story, I really appreciate all the support. Sadly it will be a while till Percy becomes a god because I'm going to have him 'Run into' a group of people that will really help him out and such, but that is also a few chapters away. I like the idea of space and such, but I kind of don't want to make Percy a really powerful god, yet at least, I want to make him work for things in this fic and not have them handed to him. As for the Olympian thing that won't really happen outright (if it does) because I want to make Percy do something more for that title. But I really love your suggestions and urge you to keep them up because they are just brilliant.

**Ginocide02: **Mwa ha ha. Anyway sorry about the cliff hanger. (not really but meh) Hopefully this chapter ends some of your misery. Thank you for reviewing and reading and I will be sure to add some of what you said into a chapter.

**fantasybeliever: **Wow. Thank you so much. I really hope this chapter has lived up to your expectations.

**Shade: **You guessed it mate, thank you so much for reviewing and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter.


End file.
